Forgotten Love
by Vela-chan
Summary: 5 years post EW Heero is reminded of the love he left behind on L1,and now he must somehow get her back. It proves to be a somewhat difficult task,since some people do not want her to leave,and things never work out as they do in fairy tales.RR
1. Foreword

Forgotten Love  
  
Disclaimer: We all know how much I WISH I could own Heero & Co. but unfortunately,I don't. Although I do own whatever characters I make up,which you hopefully will know when you read about them! So kick back, grab a GW boy and r/r please ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ AC 195 L1 Cluster Colony~~~ The girls' feet pounded on the stairs as she raced up the apartment building, heavy footfalls echoing loudly. The elevator had been taking too long so she had instead decided to get to his room via the stairs. She was on the 5th floor; she still had 6 more flights of stairs to cover.  
  
Please God, she prayed silently, her breaths short and small. Let him be there!Grant me the grace to stop this madness!  
  
She passed the 9th floor with her shoulder length golden hair flung across her sweaty neck and sticking to it. " I should have taken the elevator," she muttered to herself. Her calves were throbbing from running the nine flights of stairs, but she still kept running, ignoring the growing ache and shoving the urge to stop for a moment to the infinite depths of her mind.  
  
Finally, she reached her desired floor and she flung the door to the stairwell open haphazardly, then continued running down the hallway, nasty green colored doors flashing by on either side of her. She stopped at one particular door and tried the knob. Locked. Her fists pounded on it as tears of frustration and sorrow began to fill her emerald eyes. Still, no one answered, and the hallway remained silent, except for the short gasps of lungs pleading for air coming from a girl that was slumped against a door.  
  
Her senses kicked in then as she remembered her extra key (as a certain odangoed anime character once said, " The sign of a close relationship! A spare key!") that was in her pocket. She had brought it for precisely this reason. Though she had hoped against hope that she wouldn't need it. The girl, who was actually quite beautiful, morbidly fit the small brass key into the doorknob and unlocked it. The door silently swung inwards, revealing the ill lit entryway she had entered so many times before.  
  
"I can't be too late. I just can't!" she wept as she swept through the tidy apartment. There was no one there. But his clothes and all of his personal possessions were still lying around. Like he expected that he would come back alive. " God. Let him come back. Let him return to me please." She picked up a shirt that was laid out on his neat bed. Her favorite one, partially because of the color. A deep navy blue, which brought out every fiber of color in his eyes. Hugging it close to her she sank to the floor, releasing her tears.That's when she saw the note that had fluttered down from the bed, scribbled on a half piece of paper in his unmistakable kanji.  
  
Goodbye my love, I hope one day that I might be given the chance to see your smiling face again, to kiss your satin lips. I can only hope. Remember me, if I don't return. Aishiteru  
  
The note fell out of her hands as a blank look overcame her, the look gave way as the tears dripped off her long ebony lashes and onto the shirt she clung.  
  
"This can't be goodbye. Not yet," she whispered, heartbroken. Then, in a hopeless voice she reassured herself. " He'll be back. He will live. And I'll wait for him forever!" That was her last conscious thought before she gave in to her anguished sobs.  
  
The girl woke up the next morning laying on the bed, her eyes stinging from her dried tears and the wrinkled shirt she clutched still in her hands. She had woken up because the television, which was now turned on. She found the remote control squished beneath her, apparently she had rolled over on it and turned it on. Ignoring the mild drone from the newscasters, she rolled over, until the excited voice of a young reporter made her roll back over to face the small screen.  
  
" Yesterday, a number of strange unidentified objects were seen entering the atmosphere over various parts of Earth," the brunette was saying. " Most citizens regarded the bright, quickly falling objects as shooting stars. But some have now come to think that they were not falling stars as first thought. For one thing, these objects were an unnatural bright red, and the speed in which they were entering the atmosphere was much too slow to be a star -''. Here a video recording was inserted, showing 5 different objects screaming into the atmosphere and disappearing over the horizons, or just plain disappearing out of sight.  
  
The girls' eyes had a shocked look (i.e. no pupils) as she stood and absently made her way to a window overlooking a park on the L1 colony. Her breathing became more rapid until she was near the point of hyperventilating. " You went to Earth. You left me here, to worry over you. But I'll remain true to my word. I swear it, I'll wait for you to return," her voice shook with sorrow and rage. " But you have to come back, you have to.  
  
" Do you hear me?" she cried, pressing her hands against the glass. " You return to me! I'll die if you don't! Come back!" Her sobs came again, worse this time though, and she slammed the ball of her fist against the glass, rattling it. Her head jerked upwards and she screamed as tears flew down her face, " HEERO!"  
  
And so ends the prologue. Tell me what you think ok? Flames too, just so long as they have a legitimate reason, not something stupid (grammar errors, spelling, etc, you get the picture) I'm making this up as I go so it might be a while between updates but I WILL try, I promise! ~ Vela- chan 


	2. Part 1

Forgotten Love: Pt. 1  
  
Note: I'm still trying to decide on a decent rating because the other night I got a brainstorm of ideas, so to be safe.. Let's just put this as a high rated PG-13 to R. Sorry for any problems! Also, this is what I like to refer to as the "setting up chapter", meaning everything is kinda being explained so its sometimes boring. Bare with me, it will start to move faster I promise.  
  
  
  
AC 201 - 5 years post the Marie-Maya incident- Earth  
  
Heero Yuy groaned softly and rolled over in his spacious bed, as bright sunlight poured through a glass windowpane and directly into his face. His sapphire eyes snapped open as he glared at the digital clock on his nightstand. 7:40. " It's too damn early to be awake," he muttered throwing a sheet over his eyes, trying to reduce the light. " Freakish people are the only ones awake this early.. Although Quatre isn't a freak..hn.. I'll just say loony people then."  
  
He was actually living with the former Arabian pilot; all of them were actually. Quatre had been nice enough to offer the four of them a place to stay until they managed to stay on their feet. In the end though, the five of them had decided to stay living together in the many-roomed mansion on the Winner Estate. Each pilot had his own quarters, consisting of 3 spare rooms used for storage or guest rooms (Vela-chan: As if anyone uses them -_- ; Duo: Hey! I have people that come over! Vela-chan: Ah but they don't stay in the spare rooms do they Duo? Do they? *Prods him * Duo: Humph! Hentai. VC: *devilish grin * OOOH So it's the truth then?!?!) As well as the bathroom and their own personal room. Duo often teased that the only reason that Heero was staying in the Estate was because it was a haven from Relena ( Vela-chan: *shudder *)  
  
After some time of trying to go back to sleep- he failed miserably- Heero finally recalled as to why he had woken up. The sunlight wasn't it although that was what had caused him to roll over. It had been a dream that had begun to wake Heero as the sunlight poured in on him. Keiko. How long had it been since he had dreamt of her? Too long.. Had the last time really been when he had self-destructed and Trowa had rescued him?  
  
Her golden hair, tall, soft and slender shape, with her stunning emerald eyes. Her eyes, they were definitely one of her most beautiful features. And that was all that he had seen in the dream, besides the outline of her body against darkness blacker than oblivion. Her glowing emerald eyes had been tear filled, and she clutched something against her chest.  
  
*Dream * " I said I would wait for you forever Heero!" she had wept. " But forever is starting to end for me. Return to me- I beg you! It will be too late soon! Then I'll be gone forever! And I.... I trusted you to return!" Then she turned and ran away into the darkness. As he watched, she disappeared, making him bolt forward, crying her name out. " Keiko! Keiko come back! I'll come with you back to the colony if need be! KEIKOO!"  
  
Then came her voice, shrieking in terror. " Get away from me! GET OFF! HEERO! HEERO MAKE HIM GO AWAY!" she yelled from somewhere in the darkness, the sounds of a struggle in the background. There was a brief cry of pain, there was silence, and then the morning light had awakened him. *End of dream *  
  
Heero sat up, suddenly ravenous. " God I hope I don't become like Duo," he muttered as he dressed, shuffled out of his room and trudged down the stairs to the large dining room, complete with a 12 in. TV screen. In case the 5 were pissed off or arguing and didn't want to talk to each other. Although, the brawls over the remote and the decided channel usually worsened things, or made them better. Depending on what show was on. (Duo usually got slapped around a little for putting on the ANCIENT re-runs of Bozo the Clown, and then glancing at Trowa every five seconds while snickering. After handling as much as he could before his pride was starting to get wounded, Trowa would lunge at Duo and pummel him until Quatre *somehow * hauled the tall pilot off of poor Duo).  
  
Quatre was already seated at the ceramic covered island, which they all ate from, newspaper spread before him as he stared intently at its black printed words.  
  
"Morning Heero," he greeted him cheerfully without looking up. " There is some fresh coffee in the maker and I think there are still some eggs.. But I'm not positive.." The blonde trailed off, gazing intently at the newspaper as he turned the page and read on.  
  
"You are one of the few people I know that still reads a newspaper ever morning Quatre," Heero said absently as he poured a mug of steaming coffee. " I'm surprised anyone still wastes their time printing them these days."  
  
"Uh-hmm," Quatre replied, reading on silently.  
  
"Is that thing really so interesting?" Heero asked grabbing a piece of bacon on the plate beside the microwave then walking over to the island and peering over Quatre's small shoulders. Something about agriculture production skyrocketing in the west, an eclipse taking place in 2 weeks, the daily horoscopes, and 2 continued stories from the first page, as well as the adds and coupons placed around the centerfold. Nothing really mind blowing though.  
  
Heero shrugged to himself then sat down beside and slowly drank his coffee, trying not to scorch his tongue as the scalding liquid slide down his throat.  
  
"THE SHINIGAMI IS AWAKE AND HERE TO STEAL YOUR.. BACON! BANZAI!" came Duo's hyper war cry as he could be heard thudding down the stairs. The braided young man appeared from the hallway and dashed into the kitchen towards the stove, just barely missing the stools around the island. He stopped when he saw the greasy paper towel, bacon missing from it. His head turned mechanically towards Quatre in a creepy way. " Quatre.."He said in a low monotone, very different from his normal voice. It was almost a Heero impersonation.  
  
"Yes Duo?" Quatre returned, still reading.  
  
"Every morning there is bacon here, there is always some saved for me.And I want to know one thing, just one."  
  
Heero slid his stool back a bit, waiting for the explosion, as Duo slinked over to Quatre and sat down next to the oblivious guy. " Quatre."  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"WHERE THE DAMN HELL IS MY FRIGGIN BACON?!"  
  
Heero and Quatre winced in unison, then Quatre folded the paper up, swung around and turned the small TV on to a news channel and sighed, " There is bacon in the fridge that can be made if you just put it into the microwave."  
  
Duo blinked as he followed Quatre with his eyes. " Really? Wow, well all you had to do was say so man."  
  
" Also," he continued as he set the plate into the microwave. " If you weren't the last one up there would have been some left. The early bird gets the worm you know."  
  
Duo waved him off. " I need my beauty sleep that's all. I just decide to take it, unlike everyone else around here. Trust.some of you need it too." Heero snorted softly into his coffee at Duo's remark. Duo glanced over at him wryly. " You could use some beauty sleep too Heero. Plus you need to get an attitude, chicks don't like stone faces, that's why you're not scoring with the ladies pal!" The microwave rang and Duo jumped up to claim his victory prize.  
  
Heero scowled as he looked at the television, not really watching it. Keiko.. She had liked him for who he was. She saw what was inside a person, and what their capabilities were. He remembered her saying so to him, that she had felt a strong light coming from him, and that that was what she had been drawn to at first.  
  
" Morning Heero, Duo. Glad to see you are finally awake," Trowa said as he walked into the kitchen with Wufei beside him.  
  
" How long were you going to sleep Maxwell?" Wufei teased as he sat beside Heero.  
  
"Hey! Gimme a break! It's only 8:30!I usually sleep until 10! Once Quatres' made the second batch of bacon for me!" Duo whined his reply as he munched on the bacon, sitting to the left of Heero, leaning across him to see the Chinese pilot.  
  
Heero sat in silence at the 2 nit-picked back and forth, calling each other lazy, slobs, annoying, nymphomaniac and nymphophobiac (guess who said those) and some other random names that everyone enjoys at the crack of dawn.  
  
Trowa picked up the folded paper and scanned the front page. " Another homicide reported. They still haven't caught that serial killer that's been getting all those young women. He seems to be traveling around awful quickly. Those poor girls.. How many has it been so far Quatre?"  
  
Quatre looked grim as he replied. " Five in the last 2 months. This one's wacko. It's awful. It's on the news every night. And of course with this comes the crazy people who kill themselves or their children because they're afraid that killer might get them." He sighed and shook his head. " Half of the people don't have to worry though. This guy victims have all been fair skinned people with lighter hair colors."  
  
"On a happier note," Wufei added. " That authors book that you guys love just received an award of excellence or something."  
  
" Really? When?" Trowa asked glancing towards the TV.  
  
Wufei shook his head. "Not on the TV right now, it's on the front page- in your hands," he answered pointing.  
  
Trowa scanned it and smiled. "So she has. That's good, for so young an author to have gotten such a prestigious award."  
  
"What are you people talking about?" Heero inquired finally looking up.  
  
Duo pointed to the paper." Her. She wrote an autobiography thing of her experiences during the war and the Marie-Maya scrimmage. It's titled Soldier of the Stars. Its really good-you should check it out you two, you'd both like it."  
  
"It can't be as good as you think, coming from some woman who probably didn't even fight," Wufei said sourly.  
  
" Just because she didn't fight doesn't mean that she didn't experience heartbreak or depression. That's what the book is about. Losing her loved ones with a bit of a fantasy twist on it. That's why the people loved it so," Quatre replied looking dignified.  
  
"In case anyone wants to listen to me-which I doubt they do-She's on the TV right about now," Duo added, transfixed on the screen.  
  
" I'm here interviewing the author for the latest best selling novel to hit the shelves. Sales have skyrocketed since its publish date 3 months ago, breaking records, making millions, and there is even talk of a movie!" the reporter said as he sat beside a beautiful young woman. " Ms. Yamikachi, what inspired you to write this novel? Did you expect it to be this big?"  
  
Heero kept his head lowered as he tried to re-account his dream, but he kept an ear open to the live conversation.  
  
" Actually, I hadn't planned on getting it published at all. I had gone in a depression swing," the novelist explained in a shy, sweet voice. " And one day it all just came out onto paper. My friend read it one day as I was making dinner for the 2 of us, and she convinced me into getting an editor and trying to get it published. If it hadn't been for her, it would have just remained sitting on my desk!" She gave a small musical laugh. " And no, I never expected it to be this big. I thought it would be one of those where they publish only a few thousand copies, and those copies never sell. Today there are more than 2 million published."  
  
"Which is far more than you conceived!"  
  
" Way more!"  
  
" This story is based on real events, but with a thread of fantasy woven easily into it. Are there plans for a sequel?"  
  
Heero could hear her reluctance to speak. "Although everyone begs for me to write a sequel-my friends and my mother- I just haven't had any reason to. I wrote it all out completely the first time. There isn't anything left for a sequel. I know many readers will be upset, but there really isn't anything left to put in a sequel. You'll just have to live with the movie if anyone is brave enough to buy the rights!"  
  
The reporter laughed then began to wrap up the interview. " Thank you for letting us have some of your precise time for this interview. We hope to be hearing more in the future about you. Ladies and gentlemen, that was the author of Soldier of the Stars , Keiko Tamikachi."  
  
Heero's neck snapped up and he flew to his feet as he stared at the image of the author on the screen. Duo jumped in surprise at Heero's sudden movement, Wufei flinched slightly. It couldn't be.But he knew that face anywhere. Her hair was longer now after 6 years, and her eyes had a more experienced look from life in them, but they were still her eyes. Other than that she looked exactly the way she had always been; perfect.  
  
She smiled. " One last thing before this ends please. I want to say this. I know your out there. And I'm still waiting for you to return, because I know your not gone," she said, so sincerely.  
  
"Heero? What's wrong?" Quatre asked as his friends' hands began to tremble. " Heero!" The small man stood up and gently shook Heero's shoulders. " Tell me, what's wrong?"  
  
Heero took a long ragged breathe and slowly sank back onto his stool. "She's still waiting for me."he murmured. " Keiko, my Keiko is still waiting. She just said so."  
  
"Keiko.you know her Heero?!" Duo asked incredulously.  
  
Heero nodded. " She was my girlfriend.back on L1. I had to leave to descend to Earth. I haven't seen her since."  
  
" And she's still waiting for you to come back to her," Quatre said softly, eyes widening. " That means..She still loves you."  
  
  
  
VC : Okidoki then now that's done! Sorry it was so boring..i just had to get everything established and all..you know..the annoying part.  
  
VC: By the way Duo, I didn't think that Nymphophobiac was a word.  
  
Duo: Yeah well.I couldn't think of a word to counter Wufei's *tear * He thinks of all the good ones..  
  
VC: *pats shoulder * Its ok Duo. I still love you. Along with about 30 million other girls. ^_^ 


	3. Part 2

Disclaimer: I OWN KEIKO!!!! THAT IS ALL!!!!SHE IS MINE!!!!YOU STEAL HER AND THIS SHITENSHI WILL BE AFTER YOU!!!! Although why you'd want to steal her is beyond me...  
  
Forgotten Love: Pt. 2  
  
"You gotta go after her man!" Duo exclaimed. " She's a total knockout! Damn! Why didn't I Live on L1? Are they all like that there? Quatre lets go there for a vacation. The minority better be like her or I'll be pissed though! Makes me wonder-what was she like in bed? Sweet? Hard? Fast? Heero! Why are you still here? Go to L1 before she finds a new man!"  
  
"Listening as you make an ass out of yourself-that's why I'm here," Heero scowled as he backed out of Quatres' reach.  
  
" You mean nothing every happened between you two?" Duo asked, incredulous. Then his face softened as he walked over to Heero and cradled his head in his arms. " Awwwww.Heero got no loving..." Heero's upper lip twitched O_o; but he didn't move away. Duo pulled his face up so he could look him in the eye. "Did you at least get it on with her?"  
  
The next movement made by Heero was too fast to see in detail, but Duo ended up on the floor clutching his head and his stomach at the same time. " You blockhead! That's none of your damn business!" Heero snarled as he turned and stalked towards the hallway.  
  
" So I take it..that you didn't?" Duo wheezed on the floor. Wufei peered down at him nonchalantly.  
  
"You got what you deserved Maxwell." Duo whimpered but didn't say anything.  
  
  
  
From within the depths of his closet Heero pulled out a plain cream- colored shoebox with 6 years of dust on its top. He swiped his hand across the top and took off a lot of it, then opened it. The top item was a picture of the two of them on Keiko's 15th birthday. She was winking and smiling so sweetly at the camera with a still-wrapped present in her hands. She was sitting in his lap, with arms wrapped around her almost possessively. He had his face pressed against her bare neck, revealed by the navy blue sundress that she wore.  
  
He held the picture to himself and felt a faint bit of sadness enter his nearly stoic self. But the feeling passed and he set the picture down beside him. Beneath the photo was her folded scarf, the color of the churning sea. That was what she had worn when he first met her..  
  
AC 194 The artificial wind had been awful that day on L1. It sent flurries of snow all over without warning and sent people scurrying for shelter in their homes or in shops along the streets. It was cold outside; a cold that bit at uncovered flesh. The sky was a bleak gray color, soulless and un- helping to anyone and everyone who braved the weather for even a short time.  
  
Heero's feet crunched softly in the fresh now and ice that lay scattered across the sidewalks. He wore very little clothing-his normal winter attire: Jeans, green tank top and his navy windbreaker. The majority of his body was numb, but he didn't feel it, he was too concerned on what his next mission might be from the good doctor. Whether or not all of his training would finally be put to use and he would descend to Earth. A blast of warm air thawed him slightly as the electric doors to a grocery store swung open with a WHOOSH. A chunky lady so overly dressed you couldn't tell what she was-other than a large bundle of clothing- entered the store, just as another person (who was recognizable as a human) was hurrying out with a small brown bag of groceries beneath her arm. She noticed Heero and gave him a small smile of greeting, he didn't return it, instead he kept walking, she kept her pace along side the silent boy.  
  
"Aren't you cold?" she asked suddenly in a soft voice.  
  
" No," Heero replied bluntly. " You'd better not be following me."  
  
She smiled. " I'm not, my apartment is up this way a few more blocks." She noticed his lower lip trembling slightly. " Listen, are you sure your aren't cold? Your lips are quivering."  
  
A gust of wind pelted their faces with flakes of snow, and gave the girl a violent chill. She closed her eyes and wiped the snow from her face on the scarf that was placed over her shoulders.  
  
"Why didn't you just drive to the store? That seems more sensible to me than getting frostbite out here," Heero said.  
  
"I should say the same for you, you being out here and all. I didn't drive because of the traffic, plus, on these streets, the roads get very icy," her foot slid out from under her but she caught herself before she fell.  
  
"Seems like everything's icy," he pointed out monotonously.  
  
" You could say that," the girl replied. " By the way, my name's Keiko."  
  
"Hn," Heero replied.  
  
Keiko raised an eyebrow. " Apparently even the people on these street are icy too," she remarked grumpily and quickened her pace so she passed the silent boy. Keiko was no more than 10 feet ahead of Heero when she stepped on more ice, jerked around comically in an effort to keep her balance, then toppled to the cold hard sidewalk, her bag spilling its continents.  
  
When Heero got to her, she was sitting up and trying to put everything back into her bag. " Hey, can you help me with some of these things?" Keiko asked gently.  
  
He glared down at her, for daring to ask him to do so trifle a thing. But as he stared into her emerald eyes he felt something pass over him. Her eyes were huge green pools of light and emotion; they looked up at him so pleadingly. Just for help, nothing more, they seemed to say. Heero felt a tiny -almost unnoticeable- shiver race down his spine, rippling like fire. The walls surrounding him crumbled in that very instant he knelt down to help her.  
  
Heero was once again on his feet and Keiko had just put the last item (Chips Ahoy cookies) into the bag, and was turning to thank him when a car drove by -tires squealing- and sent a spray of wet slushy snow raining down on them.  
  
O_O; " This is so not my day," she sighed, getting to her feet as Heero handed her the bag of food and turned to leave.  
  
"Hey! Wait a sec!" Keiko called. " I never got your name"-She reached out and grabbed his shoulder. Heero spun around so forcefully that Keiko was knocked back, there was a glare on his face as he swung his fist around as though to hit her-but stopped a few inches from her face.  
  
Keiko let out her breath softly. "What was that about?" she asked timidly but didn't hesitate for an answer. " Oh, you're all wet. That car must have gotten you more than me. You'll catch a cold for sure-" the girl took off her scarf and placed it gently around Heeros' neck-" You can have my scarf if you'd like.."  
  
"Why are you doing this?" Heero inquired when she stepped back. " What do you care?"  
  
" I care because you're a fellow human being, and I try to look out for my friends and acquaintances," she replied simply. " Now, can you please tell me your name? I like this scarf and I think I'll want it back someday."  
  
The corner of Heero's mouth twitched slightly. " Ah, the beginnings of a smile I see. So, your name?"  
  
Heero frowned again. " My name is Heero Yuy."  
  
A look of confusion dashed across Keiko's face. "The martyrs name? How interesting." She smiled. " Thank you Heero. I expect that scarf back one day, until then though, try to keep it in one piece." Keiko turned and started walking down the sidewalk away from Heero.  
  
Something deep within Heero stirred and began to awaken a feeling that had been dormant for so long he couldn't remember it. Go after her, his mind told him in a voiceless whisper. And suddenly, he was obeying that faint voice. His feet pounded down the slick concrete of the sidewalk and his eyes followed Keiko as she rounded a corner. "Keiko" he tried to call her name but it came out in a monotone. "Keiko!"  
  
"Huh?" she turned around with a blank look on her face. It turned to one of confusion when she saw him. "Heero? What is it?"  
  
"I..." Heero was suddenly at a loss for words. For the first time in his life, the one time he wished to speak, he couldn't. It seemed eons had passed before he managed to say anything. " I um, wanted to walk you home, since you said you lived around here. That way I can bring back your scarf tomorrow and I'll be able to help you if you slip on some ice again."  
  
"You wont try anything if you see where I live will you?" she eyed him suspiciously.  
  
"I've been trained to follow orders, so unless I was ordered to hurt you, I wouldn't do any harm to you."  
  
"You've...been trained?"  
  
Heero froze. "Just forget it. I won't hurt you, I promise."  
  
Keiko smiled then. " Alright then, you can walk me home. Would you like some tea or something hot when we get there?"  
  
"Sure. Why not?" Heero replied after a short pause.  
  
"Ok then! Oh, here," Keiko shoved the bag into his arms. " You offered to walk me home, the least you can do is be a gentleman and carry those for me. " ^_^  
  
*blink blink * Heero looked confused as Keiko began walking off with her groceries in his arms. She glanced back and saw him still rooted to the spot. In mock scorn she called, "Whadaya still standing there for? C'mon!"  
  
His look of confusion fled from his face, replaced by a small smile that touched his eyes immensely, and he followed her, happily.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Heero? Yo Heero."  
  
Heero opened his eyes to meet Duo's face. He was slumped over the box of photos and whatnot, partially in the closet. Apparently he had fallen asleep. "What Duo?" he asked groggily as he sat up.  
  
"I was wondering where you went, you disappeared 6 hours ago. I was wondering whether you had left or not."  
  
"Left?"  
  
"To go get Keiko?" Duo coached. " You know where she lives right?"  
  
Heero frowned. " She should still live on L1.."  
  
Duo cringed. " L1 is a freaky place days, with that serial killer. She doesn't live in the B-4 quadrant does she?" Heero shook his head and Duo smiled. " Good then, cuz you and I, and the others if they want to come and its alright with you, we're going on a lil' trip."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
Duo's smile broadened. " I figured you hadn't left yet, so I took the pleasure of getting us shuttle arrangements to L1. 'Thank you very much, Duo.'"  
  
Heero gave him a wry look. " I'll thank you when we get there."  
  
"So you are going to go after her?!"  
  
Heero gave the beginnings of a smile. " I've waited too long Duo, I need her. So I'm going to get her, no matter what."  
  
  
  
EEK!!! Oh My Gosh I AM SO SORRY THAT I HAVENT UPDATED SOONER! High School has so much work! And my dad wouldn't let me do anything with anime after I um.saved 27 albums of pictures to the hard drive * each with 800- 1000 pics in each * So yeah. Please review! I would be most happy! And don't kill me for not updating *hides behind a curtain ^_^;;;;;; ~ Vela- chan 


	4. Part 3

Okay I've pretty much figured the schedule out now, this will probably be updated once a month unless I have enough free time to do 2 chapters in one month. Unlikely..but you never know. Sorry about taking so long on this chapter and keeping everyone waiting! Plot almost got away..no plot =not good. ^_^  
  
  
  
Forgotten Love  
  
  
  
  
  
Several days had passed since Duo had found Heero asleep over the box of pictures of him and Keiko, and Heero had finally agreed to let them all accompany him to L1, so long as they promised not to annoy him with questions. Duo broke his promise two days before they were expected to take their shuttle, asking pretty much the same questions that had earned him a punch in the gut when Keiko had been on the television that one morning. His punishment this time around didn't hit his stomach though, Heero had slugged him in the face and afterwards menacingly threatened to leave Duo home. No other incidents had occurred.  
  
Wufei had had to be convinced slightly to come, but in the end he had agreed with a tiny sigh of defeat. Heero needn't worry about being threatened by Wufei, he was still in his " I hate all women and sex should be abolished" mood. He was running on his..11th year of it. Quatre and Trowa posed no threat to him either, since they showed little interest in Keiko other than just wanting to speak with her on friendly terms.  
  
They night before they left, all five had set their suitcases in the living room so they wouldn't forget them, unlike during the last trip they had taken 2 years back. As soon as they had gotten to the airport Trowa realized that his luggage was still at the house; they didn't have the time to go back and retrieve it. It was-as they so lovingly referred to it- the Trip From Hell. Nearly everything went wrong, to put it lightly.  
  
"You sure you have everything Quatre?" Trowa asked, listening to a headset as he lay sprawled out on the couch-his feet hung over the edge, swinging in time to the music.  
  
Quatre smiled as he sat in one of the three throne like chairs, remembering how he had asked Trowa the same question to Trowa, and he had still forgotten his stuff. " Everything is packed, I made sure and doubled checked it all."  
  
Trowa nodded, closed his eyes and began to nod his head to whatever he was listening to, making little "Du be da cho, da da," like sounds (music sounds people -_-;). He was in to his music apparently. Wufei snickered softly from another one of the velvet lined, high backed, chairs.  
  
"What is he listening to?" he asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," Quatre replied. " It's not techno- he thinks techno should be abolished-but its not up loud enough to hear through his headphones...Unlike when Duo listens to his music."  
  
Wufei cringed slightly. " Speaking of which, who is being forced to sit next to him?"  
  
"Myself this time-" Wufei gave him a sympathetic look-" Oh c'mon he can't be that awful! Can he?"  
  
"I had to sit next to him on the afternoon flight where lunch had been served during the previous flight, and dinner wouldn't get around for another five hours. It wasn't fun. THEN, he decides to listen to some music- which was fine by me until he turned it on and I thought I was going to be blown out of my seat. This coming from a PORTABLE player."  
  
Quatre looked thoughtful momentarily, then spoke hesitantly. " He..wouldn't notice if I were to give him a sleeping pill in his drink or something would he?"  
  
Wufei looked around him slowly, then back to Quatre. " We ARE talking about Duo here right? You know, the puerile one who never notices anything but women and their anatomy?"  
  
"Guess not then..Which pill would work best?"  
  
"Without killing him?"  
  
"Preferably" -_-;  
  
"Lemme go check, I stocked up on some not too long ago- I learned to always be prepared. Besides, how do you think I kept my sanity on that flight? Definitely not by tuning him out...He just got a little 'tired' and crashed out for a few hours...."  
  
* * *  
  
Duo lay on his stomach in Heero's bed, head at the foot and his socked feet bent up behind him so they wouldn't be on his pillow. He watched the silent boy pack the remainder of his things into a large black duffel bag. Heero didn't mind his presence, so longer as he didn't become a jackass.  
  
"Hey..Heero?"  
  
He was quiet for a moment. "Hm?"  
  
" It doesn't really make sense to me..Why would you give her up? She's beautiful. And I can tell that you cared for her a lot. So..why did you never go back after you descended to here-the Earth?" Duo asked, genuine confusion and seriousness in his eyes.  
  
"...It's complicated. I'm probably the only one who understands my reasoning," he said with a touch of mocking towards himself. " It's just...very complicated."  
  
"We aren't going anywhere until tomorrow Heero," Duo prodded gently.  
  
Heero lifted his head and stared out the window as several birds flew past, and when one perched on a branch he spoke again-a small smile on his lips. " I left her not out of my own will. I could have stayed on L1 with her for all eternity. I loved her Duo, I really did. But when I came here I had to push everything from my mind that didn't include my missions. I locked my emotions up even more than they already were so I couldn't worry about getting hurt and never seeing Keiko again. Why the hell Relena was so in love with that is still beyond me.  
  
"I had nearly shut away everything about Keiko when I self destructed- the first time," he added seeing Duo about to ask. " During that time when I was knocked out, I dreamt about her-the first time in who knows when. I wanted to die since I couldn't go back to her and I now had to start all over again blocking her image from my mind. You can't imagine how much I struggled with my passion, but apparently I managed to hide it even from you. It took me a long while, but I finally convinced myself that she had moved on. She had found someone better, more of a 'stay at home' person who didn't fly around in Gundams getting shot at or fall down cliffsides...And I believed it. I surpressed my own mind into believing it. When the Marie- Maya incident happened, I still believed it. When I dreamt about her for the first time in FIVE years-just last week- I still believed it.  
  
"I didn't want to hurt her. I figured that it would be best if I disappeared out of her life before I messed it up. I would rather be killed slowly in battle than be the cause of everything around her shattering. At the end of the war I put every item that reminded me of her in that box in my closet-so when I opened it again I could let go and get rid of it all. But I couldn't force myself to do it, that one year with her was the best year of my life. Just like they say in those romance novels, I would rather drop dead right now than have to live that one year over again without her. I would give everything to have that one kiss and not see her again. Whoever the Divine Being is..I thank him for giving me her." Heero sighed softly, then turned to face Duo, and twitched slightly. O_o;  
  
"That was the most beautiful thing you've ever said Heero!" Duo sobbed T_T . He grabbed a fistful of blankets and reached up to wipe his nose with them.  
  
"Oh no you don't!" Heero snarled, back to his old self, launched up and tackled Duo before he snotted up the blanket. " USE A DAMN TISSUE!!"  
  
* * *  
  
The shuttle trip actually wasn't as horrible as the five thought it would be. Most of them ended up sleeping since it was an evening flight. Quatre didn't even need to use the sleeping pills Wufei had given him. It was that night's sleep that was awful-for 3 at least.  
  
It was one by the time they got to their hotel and checked into their two rooms-in the heart of the colony. Quatre, Duo and Wufei got a two bed room (Quatre was alright with sharing a bed with Duo *Quatres the sweetie! * Wufei threatened to commit seppuku if he had to sleep in the same bed as Duo.) Heero and Trowa got the room just across the hall from the other three. Simultaneously-without anyone of the others knowing, they all climbed into bed and pulled the covers up to their chins in unison. It was a peaceful night, Heero and Trowa slept like rocks, drowning out their own snores. Wufei and Quatre had it a little less...easy. Duo kept rolling around in his sleep, kicking and punching poor Quatre as well as snoring and mumbling loudly. At one point he sat straight up in bed, screamed " THE CHIN OF DEATH!" while shoving his fist out in front of him like something was there, held the position for several seconds, then promptly flopped back down-fist still outstretched. It had scared the utter bejizus out of Quatre; the blonde boy ended up crawling in with Wufei. He was a little snobbish about it at first, but drifted back to sleep quickly.  
  
It was well after 11 by the time all five of them were up and dressed, but it wasn't at though they were on a tight schedule. Their return flight was a little less than 2 weeks away, just in case they had problems finding Keiko. They ate a small breakfast in the lobby of the hotel (nice hotel ^_~), while Heero ran over details in his mind and wondered whether she had moved or not. When breakfast was finished, he found a quiet corner with his cell, and dialed the only person who would know.  
  
One the third ring, she picked up. "Hello?"  
  
" Lelita-san?" Heero asked softly.  
  
The voice sounded confused. " This is she...But who's calling please? No one calls me Lelita-san, so you must be a close friend. Forgive me, my memory is not what it used to be, I cannot attach a name or face to your voice sir..."  
  
"Lelita-san.."he repeated. " It's me.."  
  
Realization hit Lelita as she recognized the voice finally. " Heero?! You're alive?! Oh.Heero where are you?!"  
  
"I'm here, on L1."  
  
Lelita sounded as though she was weeping softly on the other end of the phone. " Heero..You came back. I'm so sorry, I never had the faith that you would return. Keiko and I, we thought you had been killed, after we saw the self-destruction of a Gundam all those years ago. Keiko! Oh I have to call her-"  
  
"Lelita-san, don't call her yet. I want to surprise her. I'm here for about two weeks with my friends before I have to go back to Earth. But please tell me this: Has Keiko moved? From the old apartment on Kyowa Street?"  
  
She was quiet for a timeless moment. " She has moved yes. She moved about three months ago to a larger house-right when her book became popular since people kept trying to get to her. It was awful, she was so stressed...If you have a pen I can give you her address."  
  
Heero placed his hand over the mouthpiece. " Trowa!" he called, " You have a pen and paper?" Trowa got up from the overstuffed chair he had been lounging in, dug a crumpled piece of paper and a pen from his pockets and handed them to Heero with an apologetic look. " Whenever you're ready Lelita-san." He scribbled down the address as Lelita gave it too him, then they spoke briefly again, and finally hung up.  
  
"Who is Lelita?" Wufei said dully as they headed out the door and started for the subway.  
  
" She's Keiko's mother," Heero returned monotonously.  
  
"Her mother? Why did you call her?"  
  
"I had to make sure she stilled lived her somehow didn't I? Besides, I want to surprise her, if I had called her old apartment I wouldn't have contacted her since Keiko doesn't live there anymore, which is why we're taking the subway," he finished as they rounded another city block.  
  
Duo had his arms behind his head and seemed very energetic. " Where does she live now?"  
  
Heero took the scrap of paper out of his pocket and glanced over it. "The B-3 quadrant."  
  
Quatre cringed. " Close to that serial killers place..That's slightly unnerving. Well, at least she's a quadrant away."  
  
Heero nodded as they found the subway entrance, and descended its drab, stinking stairs.  
  
* * *  
  
"Holy shit!" Duo exclaimed when they found Keiko's house. " It's friggin huge! It almost rivals Quatres estate!"  
  
A steady rain had begun falling during their hour-long subway ride (how exactly does it rain in the colonies? I know it snows..weird.well, just go along with it) so by now the ground was easily soaked; as were the pilots, who only had their jackets to protect them. Luckily it wasn't a very cold rain, but it was still cool to the bare skin. The mood was subdued as they came up to her house, which was indeed very grand. Though it was sitting on maybe one and a half acres, it was a larger lawn that most people had. It rose three floors, ending with a red brick chimney that was more than likely connected to a fireplace on each floor. A thick concrete/brick wall that was about 9 feet high surrounded the perimeter; a rod iron gate blocked the entranceway. Trees, flower beds, and fountains dotted what they could see of the lawn. Four of the five pilots stood in awe of the place; it was exquisite for being in a colony. Heero, his form totally calm, reached out and pushed the small doorbell button implanted by a covered speaker in the wall beside the gate. A moment later, a soft voice answered out of the speaker.  
  
" Yes? Who is it?"  
  
Heero tried to reply, his mouth moved, but the effort was futile. " Hello?" the voice repeated.  
  
"Keiko..." Heero finally managed to croak out.  
  
"Yes, this is she, may I help you?"  
  
" I'm here to return myself to you."  
  
"Who..?" She gasped. "Heero!" Static sounded in the speaker, then the communication was cut off. There was silence that only the rains soft pattering broke, then the gate creaked, and opened inwards. Seemingly without a thought Heero strolled through the gate and up the estate driveway, closely followed by his four comrades.  
  
"What's going to happen next?" Quatre asked quietly.  
  
"We wait, she's going to come, obviously, since she opened the gate for us," Wufei replied.  
  
Almost right after he said that a slight figure dashed out of the manor and onto the slick ground. She came flying towards them with remarkable speed, but stopped short about 20 feet away from them. The rain had started to come down harder, it quickly soaked Keiko as she stood there. Her golden hair dripped water, and her clothes soon turned a shade darker. Her face held a look of old sorrow, confusion, ecstasy, and fear that what she was seeing wasn't real. "Oh my God in hell, she's beautiful," Quatre heard Duo breathe out in amazement. He was sincere.  
  
A sad smile spread across her face. " I never thought I would see you again Heero," she murmured walking slowly towards him. " Everyone told me to move on, but I knew that you would come back..."  
  
"I saw you on the TV, which's how I knew you were still waiting," he returned. She was now close enough to touch if he stretched his arm out all the way. Heero traced her face down to her jaw, and gently pushed her hair behind one ear. " I've missed you, Lucky-One."  
  
Keiko's face turned into a genuine smile, all traces of her sorrow and loneliness disappeared. Tears of joy spilled down her face, blending with the rain. " God, Heero, I'd have waited five more years if I had too!" she wept and ran the two steps into Heero's warm arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
Bleh that was long.My poor flangies hurt.How long was that anyways? I don't know.Ok I'm rambling I will go now so readers don't sic their hounds on me for taking to long *scurries off to find shelter * Ja! ^_^ 


	5. Part 4

Forgotten Love- Part Four  
  
Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, but obsessed with them ^=^  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Quatre, Wufei, Duo and Trowa kept perfectly silent during their long embrace. Sobs of happiness came from Keiko, and Heero cradled her petite frame in his arms, softly stroking her back.  
  
Suddenly, she pulled back, and for the first time, seemed to notice the others. "Oh," she murmured, wiping her eyes stepping away from Heero. " I'm sorry, I should have introduced myself to you all..."  
  
" We already know who you are," Quatre said smiling. " Miss Yamikachi."  
  
Keiko returned the smile, eyes bright and clear again. " Ah, but I do not know you, though. I won't make you all stay in this rain any longer than you have; all of you looked soaked-well, I am too... But come on with me inside."  
  
* * *  
  
The interior of the house was furnished mostly with deep mahogany and various shades of blue. Upon entering, she took all of the wet jackets down to the basement to dry, while they took off their sopping shoes. " Make yourselves at home in the parlor guys- it's that room just to the left- and I'll be right back."  
  
Heero took in all of what he could see. Her home was nice...Very nice. He was amazed that her novel had earned her enough to afford this much. A smile played at his mouth; Keiko had come a long way since he had last seen her, so much was different.  
  
His attention was diverted when he heard Duo say, " Whoa...Awesome sword!" He strode into the parlor, where Duo had his face squished flat up against a large class case sat in a cubby built into the wall. " Thatssofrigginawesomewhereinthehelldidshemanagetofindit? Isitjustmeordothosejewelsactuallylooklike RealgemsoramIjustwiggin-pleasetellmeifthatI'mnotseeingthings. PLEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASE! It looks like the sword from Saga Frontier 2 that Gustave XIII wields!" he spit out in a heap. Propped up in the case was a sword that looked very old, but almost untouched by time. The silver blade still looked sharp and clear, and the golden hilt was set with several glittering emeralds and rubies.  
  
Keiko giggled as she re-entered the parlor with a tea tray laden with six mugs. " No, you aren't wigging out, um..What's your name again?"  
  
"Duo," he replied puffing himself up.  
  
"Like a chicken attempting to swoon the peahen with the peacock right beside him," Trowa murmured, a rare smile on his lips.  
  
"What the hell is THAT supposed to mean Trowa?!"  
  
"Your obvious-though pathetic- advances, that are in vain."  
  
"Wha? Translation?"  
  
He shook his head. " Never mind Duo."  
  
" That sword though- to satisfy your curiosity Duo, is a late seventeenth century sword of an English count. He was one of my ancestors actually. My grandmother gave it to me for safekeeping several years ago. It's kind of a family heirloom. I like it-" she grinned. " It brings happy memories back to me during times when I need them most..  
  
" Well. So your name is Trowa?" Keiko asked, placing the tray on the glass-topped table and gracefully sitting down on the navy couch; Heero descending beside her. He nodded silently. " And your names are...?" Quatre smiled the same time a tiny sneer flew across Wufei.  
  
"Quatre Raberba Winner, pleasure to meet you"  
  
She nodded. " The same. You?" she directed to the Chinese boy.  
  
" Chang Wufei," he answered curtly.  
  
" Nice to meet you. Can I call you Wufie?" the bubbly girl asked quickly. ^_^  
  
Duo noticed Wufei's eye twitch a little. Perfect, he thought. Another way to annoy him, hehehe. : D  
  
" I'd prefer that you don't call me that- I'm rather particular of my proper name."  
  
" Oh, oki. ^_^. Would you like something hot to drink to warm you up? I have tea and coffee- I wasn't sure which you all would want. I'm a tea person, and I know Heero is too, but..."  
  
" Either one sounds great Keiko. Thank you," Trowa murmured.  
  
Each of the guys grabbed a mug and filled it to the brim with one of the scalding hot liquids before taking a seat. Quatre and Trowa took the smaller, two-person couch while Wufei sat in an expensive looking cushion chair beside the small settee. Keiko was squeezed between Heero and Duo. The later watching as she filled her mug with tea and begin drinking it without any sugar or honey, copied her. But, rather than sipping slowly, he took a big chug- and choked on it.  
  
" UGH! WHAT is THIS? It's so STRONG!" he cried with a sour face.  
  
Heero concealed a snigger as Keiko gave the braided young man a peculiar look. She, too, fought the urge to burst into laughter as she realized what he had done. Still, a laugh did escape her as she explained, " It's ginger tea Duo. It's supposed to be strong and it has a very strong aftertaste. You don't just chug it- especially when it's hot, silly!  
  
"I made it myself; and Heero and I both like it stronger than most people care to have it-" Her attention turned to him. " You still do right?" He nodded and she went back to speaking. " Like I said, I make it strong because I get congested very easily. The tea is the one thing I know of that will clear me up more often than not. Unlike those crappy liquid medicines," she added with a growl.  
  
" I think that I'll be safer with the coffee then.." Duo grumbled. " I'm gunna go dump this out if that's alright, be back in a moment."  
  
Quatre sighed and shook his head, glancing across the room at Heero and Keiko as they talked softly to one another. " Duo will be wasting his energy trying to impress Keiko," he whispered to Trowa. " Look at her eyes and you can see how much she loves him- even after so long."  
  
" It is surprising that they still feel the same towards each other," Trowa commented. " They must have had a very strong relationship before the war..."  
  
Quatre nodded. "Yes. If she could remain faithful through that not much will tear her away from him... I wonder how people reacted when they first learned that she was still holding on?"  
  
Trowa frowned. "Probably not kindly. Most people probably thought that either Heero was killed in battle or that he had run off without her with a whore or something."  
  
"How sad that they can't recognize true love when it's staring them right in the face...," Quatre said quietly.  
  
"Notice that they haven't shown any sign of affection towards one another besides that embrace outside," the other man pointed out. He nudged Quatre with his elbow, a mischievous twinkle in his eye. " Perhaps they're waiting for us to leave so the house will be theirs?"  
  
Quatres' face flushed a delicate shade of pink. "Trowa!" he hissed, embarrassed by the thought. " It's rude to talk about intimate things like that when the subject is just across the room!"  
  
"You act like it's taboo to even think about intimacy Quatre. You're starting to sound like Wufei."  
  
" Intimacy doesn't bug me but you know what you were really hinting about!"  
  
His mouth turned up in a half smile. " What was I hinting about then?" The blonde man opened his mouth as if to speak but only a low-pitched gurgle was emitted. " You can't say it can you? I thought-"  
  
" You were making a reference to Heero and Keiko having sex, as much as I hate to think of it," Wufei growled. "There. The act has been mentioned so if you kindly dropped the subject I would be most content. But if you must keep talking about it I'll leave, Duo has been gone for a while, perhaps the idiot got lost. Either that of he found some other priceless object at which to ogle at. I'll go find him and bring him back."  
  
The two men watched him exit the room in awe, fear and shock. Trowa blinked and asked in an amazed voice, "Did Wufei just say..?"  
  
"Yes..." Quatre answered in the same tone.  
  
" He actually said the word..?"  
  
"Yes.."  
  
"And he went to find....?"  
  
"Yes..."  
  
" Am I high..?"  
  
" Not likely."  
  
"Oh."  
  
*Silence *  
  
"Is HE high?  
  
"Most likely."  
  
"As I feared." Quatre nodded enthusiastically.  
  
"Are you sure it's all right? I don't want to make you share your house with 5 young bachelors for two weeks-"  
  
"Aw c'mon Heero! I have plenty of room, and my house is definitely better that those cheap motels- they're probably all roach infested," she added with a shudder. " Besides, no bachelor can gross me out or hit on me as much as Rykoshi did."  
  
"Rykoshi?" Heero asked, not suspicious in any way, but curious.  
  
Keiko's face turned sour. " Past roommate of mine. We went to the same university where I got my bachelors degree. Coincidentally, we had the exact same schedule. He ended up getting a huge crush on me..bleh, it was ugly. I kicked him out after he got drunk on graduation night and tried to make a move on me...A physical move..." Her eyes seemed to loose their brightness for a moment, and looked far older than they should have been. Heero noticed and wrapped her fingers firmly in his. (Across the room- Quatre: *elbows Trowa * " There's your affection!" Trowa: *shakes his head and sighs *).  
  
"Can you forgive me for not being there for you Keiko?" He asked, wrapping her tiny hand in both of his.  
  
Keiko smiled delicately, the light returning to her gleaming forest eyes. " How could I not? I can't hold grudges or stay angry with anyone longer than a few days. It wasn't Rykoshi's fault really, but the alcohol. You're forgiven." She sighed softly, and slowly leaned into his arms. "Don't ever leave me Heero. I would die for sure if you left again...," her sleepy voice came muffled from his shirt.  
  
Heero smiled as he looked down on her golden head. " I won't leave your side. And I swear that from now on I'll be able to protect you." It was a strange feeling, the one that was returning to him. The ability to love. He had hidden it from Dr. J so carefully, then from himself, and to now have it be opened up again..What an odd sensation. Another thing that would come to be noticed in the days that followed, was the change in his deep blue eyes. The light that shone in Keiko's eyes was becoming noticeable in his too. Right now it was barely burning, but Keiko was helping him gain back his humanity.  
  
* * *  
  
"How damn hard is it to get lost in a house Maxwell?" Wufei demanded later during the evening. This time they were in the large kitchen, seated around an island similar to the one at Quatre's estate. (I have this thing for kitchens with islands okay? Besides.I think that most big houses have them so nyuh *sticks tongue out : P *). They had returned to the hotel and decided to take up Keiko's offer. (Cockroaches versus clean and pretty..hmmm the scale is leaning more towards Keiko dun you think?).  
  
"I don't know Wufie, you tell me," Duo replied calmly, leaning back in his seat.  
  
Wufei's temple throbbed and it looked like he was going to throttle Duo for both the name, and his mocking tone. " You only had to come back the way you came stupid!"  
  
"You think I paid attention to where I was going?"  
  
" The house ISN'T THAT BIG MAXWELL!" Wufei yelled, kicking Duo's seat with his foot.  
  
"Ack!" Duo yelped, thrown off balance, and tumbled to the floor.  
  
"Hey!" Keiko exclaimed, hopping down to Duo. "Knock it off you two, you're grown men yet you're bickering like teens! Here, are you alright Duo?"  
  
Duo acted more hurt than he really was, and ended up getting a clear close up of her chest as she cradled his 'throbbing' head. Quatre and Trowa watched with wide eyes; Heero looked close to throttling him. Finally, he grabbed him by his lapels and hauled him to his feet.  
  
He gave a cry and a slight whimper of fear as he was pretty much dragged out of the room. "Wait! Heero! I didn't mean it! I'm sorry! I know you told me-" Heero threw him against a wall and encircled his throat with a slender hand.  
  
"Listen good Duo, cuz' this is the only time I'll warn you," he snarled menacingly. "Don't you dare touch her or stare at parts of her body like I just saw you doing- and don't you dare deny what I saw with my own eyes! If you so much as lay one inappropriate finger on her or take advantage of a moment, I'll blow your whole damn hand off, as well as your ability to reproduce."  
  
"Whoa, whoa there pal," Duo replied raising both hands with a pale face. "You don't have to threaten me, I realize my error. Jeez, I didn't think you were that serious about this Heero..I'm sorry."  
  
Heero's eyes softened slightly and his grip loosened. He sighed. "I'm stressed out about this all Duo. You know more than anyone does so I can tell you." He stepped away from the man pinned against the wall and let his feet be reunited with the floor again.  
  
Duo grinned. " The Perfect Soldier is feeling stressed, AND confiding in me. Well, we surely have died and gone to hell."  
  
* * *  
  
"Miss Keiko, I don't suggest that you baby Duo any more than you have," Quatre said politely.  
  
She looked truly confused. "What?"  
  
"Duo, he...well, he's TRYING to get your attention. He wants you, as well as Heero," he emphasized.  
  
The confusion disappeared and surprise replaced it. " Duo..Oh!" A girlish smile lit her face. " He wouldn't succeed in winning me over- he'll only piss Heero off. I still love him. I always will. But I guess I'll take the compliment."  
  
I hope Heero threatened Duo enough to make him realize how serious he is about all this, Trowa thought. Duo doesn't deserve to get hurt because of his own obliviousness.  
  
* * *  
  
"Alrighty, lemme show you guys to your rooms," Keiko declared, bouncing merrily up the stairs. "You guys will need a good nights rest because tomorrow we're going to the park for a picnic." She pointed out the doors in rapid succession. "Wufei, the White Room; Quatre, the Yellow Room; Trowa, the Green Room, and Duo has the Red Room."  
  
Heero waited until each man was in his room, then asked. " Which bedroom do I have? Are we... sharing one?"  
  
Her eyebrow raised in an upset way, but her eyes betrayed her. " Noooooo, silly goose! You get the Blue Room, just until we know each other again. It won't take long, I promise," she added with a hint of suggestion. She pushed the on the door across the hallway from one that was decorated in pastel pinks and yellows. It was obviously Keiko's room. "This is where you'll be sleeping. It's furnished in royal blue, hence, the Blue Room."  
  
Keiko looked up into his gaze and felt her body waver. So long had she longed to look into his face again, and suddenly he was beside her again. How could it be happening? How was it that he was finally here? Someone, anyone, pinch me so I know I'm not dreaming, she pleaded silently. Heero's dark eyes met hers again, and a she smiled a weak smile. He was so intense, but in a mysteriously sexy way, and that was what had originally sparked her interest. Now it was more than that though.  
  
Heero's head dipped and his satin lips met her own. And....She melted. Simple as that. All she would be able to recall was how she suddenly was in the familiar protective circle of his warm arms, and how their passion escalated.  
  
Reluctantly they pulled away from each other. Heero's hands rested on the feminine curve of her hips but he reached up and touched her face anyway.  
  
"Your face is warm," he whispered.  
  
She chuckled softly, arms wrapped around his neck. " So are you, but you have always been warm. You make me warm."  
  
He smiled and stepped away, and Keiko felt alone again. But all she had to do was recall their kiss to feel loved and safe again, safe from..She shunned the thought and danced into her room, softly closing the door before running to her queen sized bed and leaping onto its covers. Suddenly, she was laughing as she jumped up and down, laughing with excitement and glee that had been empty from her life for so long a time. When she grew tired from jumping, Keiko sank back down to her mattress and sang softly "I can't believe this moments come.. It's so incredible that we're alone ...There's so much to be said and done ..It's impossible not to be overcome ...Will you forgive me if I feel this way? Cuz we've just met - tell me that's OK ...So take this feeling'n make it grow. Never let it - never let it go ..." Then she hugged the stuffed Black Panther that lay on her bed and murmured urgently to it.  
  
" I finally feel safe again Kamika. I don't feel afraid of anything anymore. I won't be afraid of..," Though a new sense of power filled her, she couldn't bring herself to say the name. "I won't be afraid of it anymore. Never again. Heero's here, I am safe. He doesn't know it yet but when he leaves to go back to Earth, I'm going with him."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Don't Let Go"- Bryan Adams is used without permission, but I don't plan to make any money using the lyrics so don't sue me for copyright money or anything ^-^.  
  
YAY!!! All finished! I made this chapter a bit longer to make up for my absence. Parents these days just don't understand the relationship between a girl, her computer, and final. So please review *bows * and I shall be greatly happy ^_^. And please point out any of my errors or give me suggestions, or just lemme know what you think of the story all around oki? Thankies! Luv, Vela- chan 


	6. Part 5

Forgotten Love-Part 5  
  
Disclaimer: I own only Keiko, you wanna use her, then that's fine, just ask beforehand ^_^ Just don't mangle her ~ ~ ~  
  
Artificial sunlight will never be the same as the real thing and that was the thought Keiko woke up with the next day. She wanted to feel the true warmth of their solar systems' star when she realized that is was fake light that had woken her. This day was much brighter than yesterday and warmer too. There wouldn't be any rain today, only heat.  
  
Groggily she rolled over, noticed the clock read 9:17, and thanked God that she worked at home. She pulled the covers over her head and tried to go back to sleep because she still felt so lifeless. She must have dozed off because when she woke again it was to the smell of burning food. Not just burnt, charred.  
  
She sat bolt upright as the reek invaded her nose, slipped on her semi- transparent blue robe over her nightdress and hurried downstairs, where the air was even worse.  
  
Wufei and Duo were side by side and slung out the kitchen window trying to breathe while Quatre, Trowa, and Heero threw open more windows and turned on the ceiling fans.  
  
"What the hell is wrong with your stove onna?!" Wufei choked, noticing Keiko.  
  
"Ugh, I should have warned you guys not to mess with it," she groaned, opening up the back door which lead to the porch. " That thing is evil, I'm going to replace it as soon as I can."  
  
" It's not able to be fixed?" Duo asked, sticking his head in.  
  
She shook her head. "No, the thing's ancient. I wouldn't be surprised if it just fell apart while we were standing here.."  
  
Everyone simultaneously cast a glance at the oven. It sat there, motionless. Definitely notdisintegrating before them.  
  
"So, erm, what exactly were you trying to cook? Those black disks on the counter there can't really be identified," Keiko said.  
  
Wufei fell back inside, nose wrinkling from the light remaining smell. "Those," he stated pointing to one pile, " were supposed to be hash browns, and those are the remains of pancakes."  
  
"Compliments of Warrior Man trying to cook here," Duo nodded towards Wufei. " A note of caution; don't eat or drink anything he gives you. You might end up in the hospital with food poisoning..or just find yourself conveniently in a dead sleep for a few hours." He finished with a cocky grin.  
  
"You told me that he never figured out about that!" Quatre exclaimed.  
  
Wufei was flabbergasted and attempted to speak, his face turning from dull rose to full out tomato red when he realized Duo had insulted his cooking. "Why..you...Maxwell...GAH!" Duo scrambled to move as Wufei launched himself at him. The next moment, they were wrestling around on the floor; pulling hair, scratching and punching. Keiko made a move to stop them but Heero took her arm and kept her still.  
  
"Shouldn't we...?"  
  
Heero shook his head. " They have one of theses scuffles usually every two months. Best to get it out of their system now." A high pitched, girlish shriek interrupted him, luckily it couldn't be distinguished from the two.  
  
"Whoa."  
  
"Yeah, you get used to those outbursts after a while..."  
  
Duo squirmed, covering his face with his hands, then screamed out a lewd comment. Wufei froze, gasped and clutched his nose. The other lay waiting for the blood to come so the boy would rush of to the bathroom in a tissy, but nothing happened. Duo tried again, yelling every obscenity he could think of; Wufei flinched with each saying, but his face remained blood free. Then he realized the lack of wetness on his face and touched his upper lip, felt nothing, and grinned. In one cat-like motion Wufei's curled fist slung directly at the mans face beneath him. Duo swore violently at the connection and rolled out from under his attacker. Once clear he shot to his feet and pounced back at him.  
  
" How about we leave them alone to duke it out?" Trowa suggested casually, stepping over the two men struggling on the ground and moved to the doorway. " They won't break anything, they never do. Only themselves."  
  
"Sure..why not?" Keiko replied absently. " We can go in the .....living room...." She cast a concerned look over her shoulder as Heero led her out of the kitchen. The living room was much more ordinary than the parlor. There was only a deep forest couch, a telephone beside a lamp, a small bookcase and a big screen television.  
  
"Miss Yamikachi, you live rather close to the area that the serial killer has been acting in," Quatre stated sitting. " Aren't you ever frightened living in this big house by yourself?"  
  
She smiled in response. " No, I am not afraid. I have no reason to fear him. Please don't think of me as being naïve because I am well informed on all the incidents- the police chief and I are good friends. All those women who have been raped and killed were either prostitutes or coming back from the bar after wallowing in their own intoxication.." Her eyes deepened. " They made poor choices, doing what they did. Of course I feel remorse for the loss of their life, but I can't help but think that if they had only made wiser decisions it wouldn't have happened. If you keep a level head and think through things, you'll be alright, that's what I do."  
  
" They were all raped then killed?" Trowa asked. " They never mentioned that on the news back home. Or the fact that the victims were prostitutes or intoxicated..."  
  
Keiko frowned. "The media is messed up sometimes. How are people supposed to be educated on what's going on if they aren't informed? But it is awful isn't it? I can't imagine the fear that must have coursed through them..."  
  
" How have they been killed?"  
  
"The police chief didn't give me the exact method, he just said from blood loss so obviously they were stabbed or something similar." She leaned her head against Heero's shoulder, and closed her eyes. His scent..it was coming from his blue jacket. She felt herself sigh softly. She had always loved the smell of his cologne. It was slightly spicy, but still wonderful. I'm so content, happy, joyful, every positive word I can think of, she thought. All the negative feelings are gone, they were poured out into my book, but it still had a happy ending- how did I ever create one? It definitely wasn't like this, or was it? I think it was similar..but this isn't even the end yet. It's just the start. God, don't let it end. Never.  
  
"Don't you ever get lonely here without anyone?" Heero questioned, wondering if she was asleep.  
  
Without moving or opening her golden lashes she smiled softly, " No. My mother visits me all the time. And Rykoshi's friend comes over from time to time- Alex. Every now and then they both come over. I don't mind it so long as Alex asks beforehand. I think Rykoshi recognized his error though, he hasn't done a single thing to me since, and he can actually be pretty nice."  
  
"No girl friends?" He felt her tighten up.  
  
"I still don't get along well with other girls really. I only have Mia and Chikyuu."  
  
"Still?" His arm went around her back.  
  
"Unfortunately. I don't know why..." But she knew. She had always known. But she had never told Heero about it. During college and the end of high school she was beautiful enough to have gotten any guy she wanted. Every day brought a new admirer, and new enemies. It was ironic. She had never been popular as popularity itself is, but she had been known for her looks at that was it. She still recalled the hateful words the jealous girls had said.  
  
Whore  
  
Slut  
  
Why the hell are all the guys interested in her? All she does is read and study- what a fucking nerd.  
  
She's pretty, but I've never seen her do anything but work. And she hardly speaks..  
  
I heard she had a boyfriend and that when the war started he went off to fight but he never came back. She probably wasn't cool enough to keep him interested. Heh, what a loser. Her lover ran off with someone else.  
  
That was all the boys were interested in, they didn't want to become friends first, get to know her, or be interested in what she was. All they wanted was to bring her home to a silent house and a bed that pleaded for someone to sleep in it. Keiko denied every offer she had ever gotten; she had no interest in a liaison. During those years she spent most of her time on the Internet trying to come across any news about Heero and where he could be. She never found much except for a few feeble Gundam sitings, and one evening after a very stressful day at school, she sat down and poured all the sadness in her soul through a fountain pen onto a manuscript.  
  
"That reminds me, she called me the other day and said she would be over for lunch tomorrow.."  
  
"Mia?"  
  
Keiko straightened, and tossed the remote to Trowa who was inconspicuously looking for it. "No, my mom."  
  
"Lelita-san.."  
  
Keiko smiled. " You, Alex and Mia are the only ones who call her that. Everyone else uses her first name- though I know she hates it, but she wants to be proper and all."  
  
"TRUCE!" Duo bellowed from the kitchen. Trowa and Quatre perked up for a moment, then returned to the television.  
  
"Right. Anyway, you know how yesterday I mentioned that we should go on a picnic?" she asked them all. "do you want to still go? I was thinking we could go the lake- that way we could swim and all that fun stuff."  
  
Quatre glanced outside, made a cute little pondering face and nodded. " I would think the weather would be perfect for swimming. When do you want to go?"  
  
"Whenever you guys are all ready," she replied ^_^. "I'm not on a tight schedule- any schedule actu-"She swiveled in her seat when she heard a moan come from the hallway. Wufei (he had a bloody lip) leaned against the wall, supporting Duo against him, who was limply hung over like a rag doll, hair obscuring his face.  
  
"Before you go anywhere," Wufei said sluggishly. " Baka here needs to be fixed up a bit..And I need to wrap my fingers, I punched him kinda hard..."  
  
"Please," Duo groaned lifting up his head. " Please tell me you have ice."  
  
Keiko's eyes widened at the heart shaped purple bruise that was already appearing on his cheekbone. Then she burst into laughter, Heero and Trowa both chuckled, and Quatre tried to look concerned without showing his amusement.  
  
"What the fuck makes this so funny? Quit laughing you bastards! Oh! Ow! My face! Stoppit!" he cried, face twisting with rage and pain. It just made them laugh harder.  
  
"You're going to have a heart on you face Duo!" Keiko gasped, clutching her stomach  
  
* * *  
  
" Cheer up Duo, it's not permanent," Trowa stated as they walked to the lakes edge; he pulled off his shirt and shoes. " That funky looking thing on your face will only last for a week....or two."  
  
Duo's lip twitched in an attempted snarl, but he didn't manage to get all the way there before he clamped his hand over the spot and moaned.  
  
" Smile Duo," Keiko coached sincerely. Her golden hair was now in two neat plaits and she wore a large off-white T-shirt over her turquoise one- piece swimsuit. He tried, but it looked more like a face disfigurement.  
  
"For the love of God don't smile! You'll terrify the children!" Wufei teased.  
  
Duo made a swipe at him but Wufei jumped back. He stuck his tongue out. " Shinigami's a little slow today! Ha!" he turned, ran to the wooden pier, and sat at its end. Duo looked down into the water and gently touched his marred face with his fingertips.  
  
"Does it really look that gruesome?" he whispered, then continued to stroll along towards the pier.  
  
Keiko caught up with him and lightly tugged his braid to get his attention. " It's not that bad Duo. Really it isn't. It's just a little puffy, but it's okay! The aspirin made the swelling go down. If you're that self-conscious about it, I can let you have some of my concealer when we get back home."  
  
" You will?"  
  
"Sure!"  
  
"Aw man thank you so much!" he yelled and gave her such a huge hug that she was lifted off the ground.  
  
"Ack! Okay, you're welcome..Duo, Keiko can't breathe..." she grunted in his arms.  
  
He dropped her and a crafty look shimmered in his violet eyes. " Thanks Keiko, now, if you'll excuse me...I have some business that needs to be taken care of..hehehe." He turned, raced down the pier, and shoved Wufei into the water.  
  
" Damn you Maxwell!," he screamed when he surfaced. "I was still in my fucking clothes- and my shoes!"  
  
Duo cackled and did a little victory dance. "Consider it payback 'fie!" Wufei sunk down and muttered beneath the water, bubbles breaking when they reached the surface.  
  
Keiko giggled and set her shoes down on the wood. As she turned, out of the corner of her eye she saw Heero barreling down on her wearing his blue swim trunks. She shrieked playfully as he collided with her in an attempt to push her in. " I'm not going down without you!" she laughed, latching onto his wrists and shifting her weight so she fell backwards. A smile that showed in his eyes graced Heero's face as they dropped, and only Keiko heard the laugh that escaped his lips an instance before the water surrounded them.  
  
The water was cold and deep where they had toppled in, at least nine feet. She felt Heero embrace her as a storm of tiny, tickling bubbles migrated for the surface. He kissed her neck and a shiver went down her back, but she laughed anyway. Several bubbles came out instead, but Heero got what it meant by her smile. He moved in again, his long hair tracing her face, making her laugh once more; it was silenced by another kiss.  
  
She drew back after what seemed like forever and swam up to the surface, lungs burning. As Keiko broke out of the water she was met with pairs of smug eyes.  
  
"Oh la la," Trowa purred.  
  
" That was so cute," Quatre said. " Finally you two showed some affection towards each other."  
  
"Shouldn't have been so deep though, it was too hard to see," Duo finished.  
  
"They were just fine where they were Duo! Don't give them any ideas!" Wufei screamed from the other side of the pier.  
  
Heero laughed softly, swimming closer to Keiko. " Jeez Duo, a little deprived are we?"  
  
"Yes...sad isn't it?"  
  
"Very," Keiko replied.  
  
"Let's not keep the poor man waiting," Heero said, taking her face in his hands and kissing her deeply, but gently.  
  
The three young men on the pier hollered and yelled, drowning out Wufei's scream of agony and he dunked himself under water.  
  
* * *  
  
There was a knock on her apartment later that week. Causally she set her book down and peered through the glass peephole of her and her mother's apartment.  
  
"It's that boy," she murmured. "Heero." She wondered whether it was a good or bad thing that her mother wasn't home for his second visit. Her mom amazingly had liked Heero- it was a first for her to like any of Keiko's male acquaintances. She didn't under the chain but she opened the door with a smile. "Hello..."  
  
Heero nodded. " 'Llo. I, um, came to return your scarf. And I wanted to thank you for the tea you gave me the other day... May I come in?"  
  
She hesitated. After all, she had just met the man, and being bold out on the public streets was much different than being alone in the same house with him.  
  
"I understand, you want me to come in because you're probably by yourself so I'll just give this too you then" He handed her a large brown paper bag and turned back to the stairs.  
  
" Whoa, wait! Wait! You can come in, but only for a short while. At least warm up, it's another cold day. Come in, come in."  
  
She took his damp navy jacket to the dryer and gave him a thick blanket to wrap up in while they sat in the kitchen waiting for the tea to brew. He managed to keep a much better conversation with her today that he had yesterday, and for this she was glad. There was nothing worse than having to deal with a dead silence. Finally the kettle whistled and she poured them each a mug of her tea.  
  
She waited anxiously to see his reaction to the drink because most people spazzed at the first sip. Keiko was shocked when Heero sipped it, and didn't even have a reaction. Then he looked up, gave a tiny smile and said, " We both like our ginger tea strong. What a coincidence."  
  
She was silenced by surprise, then she smiled. "Yeah, it's weird. No one else can stand it. You're the only other person besides my mother who can."  
  
"Will you open the bag?" Heero asked softly.  
  
"Huh? It just has my scarf in it does...Oh, well sure." She picked up the bag from the tabletop and looked in. Her scarf was on the bottom but she hardly noticed it because lying atop it were 6 blushing pink roses. "Oh..Heero, thank you so much. That's so nice of you." She looked up; he was standing by her side.  
  
"I have to go now, but since I returned to you what's rightfully yours, and given you a gift, I want something in return," he said softly, his deep eyes giving no indication of his emotions.  
  
Keiko's stomach dropped and the worst thought raced through her mind. "W-What?" she stammered quietly.  
  
Heero lowered his head swiftly and gave her a soft chaste kiss on the corner of her mouth. "That, only that Keiko. I could never hurt you, know that." He was pulling on his jacket at the front door before Keiko reacted.  
  
"Hold on!" she cried grabbing his arm to keep him from leaving. " You can't just kiss me and leave without me telling you anything."  
  
His eyes lowered in shame. "It was nice Heero." His eyes flew up. "It was kind of you to give me the flowers. And your kiss wasn't bad at all...So thank you."  
  
"You're welcome," he whispered. "I'll see you around Keiko."  
  
"You will come see me again won't you? After all, I'm fifteen-perfectly able to handle a relationship and everything, you won't just give me my first kiss then leave for good wi-"  
  
He spun back around and kissed her again, longer and sweeter, a little less chaste, but still a virtuous kiss. "I said, 'I'll see you around'," he reminded firmly. " I'm not leaving for good. I'll visit another time."  
  
He smiled, hugged her, then was gone. Keiko back up against her sofa and used that for support because her legs were trembling too much to hold her up. She touched her mouth softly, then smiled. "My first and second kiss," she murmured. "It wasn't scary at all."  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Yay! I got that chapter done. I made it longer- I think- to make up for missing February's update. And I have so much in my head right now that the next chapter SHOULD be up on schedule. Hopefully. No guarantees because schools getting evil right now, but I'll try. Luv, Vela-chan. P.s. Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. They are the only thing that keeps me writing *hint hint * And can someone PLEASE tell me how to italicize stuff without it getting returned to normal font? Pleasepleasepleasepleeeaaaaaase???? 


	7. Part 6

Disclaimer: I don't claim ownership of any of these characters except my own originals, nor do I own Stephen King's work. It obviously belongs to Stephen King.

 That done with….on with the story! TALLY HO!

Forgotten Love- Part 6

~ ~ ~

    The six young people finally packed up and headed home an hour or so before sunset. They had definitely chosen a good day to go swimming; the heat still hadn't burnt itself out yet and each one them was several shades darker then before. 

    "It's still got to be at least ninety degrees," Wufei said softly, putting their damp towels into Keiko's trunk.

    "This doesn't rival the desert one bit though," Quatre added. Wufei simply nodded, the warmth was giving him a lethargic feeling and he didn't feel like being snide.(O_o)

    Keiko sighed softly as she climbed into the driver's seat. "Today was fun, but I think I got a little more pink than tan. Stupid fair skin," she grumbled and started the car.

    Heero pressed a finger against her shoulder and took note of how the skin turned white and hesitated on returning back to the dark rose color she had acquired that day. "Don't," Keiko said, shrugging away from him. "It hurts when you do that."

    "I like your light skin."

    She shook her head and kind of laughed. "During these days of fake-baking models and all that stuff…… I'm glad there's one guy out there who still appreciates natural skin color."

    "He's not the only one……." Quatre added sluggishly. He raised his head as though it weighed several tons. "People shouldn't hide what they've been given behind layers of cosmetics and fake tanning. No one is truly born ugly; we all just have different features. I'm not against make-up or anything, but wasn't it created to accentuate what you already have- not hide the real you?"

    She nodded and poked Heero's side while he was reaching to press her singed shoulder again as they drove down the street. He jerked back, squirming slightly. "Correct. And Heero, I said stop."  She jabbed at Heero and he wiggled away. A look of knowing flashed in her emerald eyes. "You're still ticklish aren't you?"

    Heero muttered, "Don't know what you're talking about."

    "Yes you do," Keiko replied, eyeing him.

    "No."

    "Don't argue. You know I'm right."

    "N-"

    Duo reached up from the back seat and tickled Heero's ribs. He yelped and leapt away. "Knock it off Duo!"

    The braided man giggled in a cute childish voice, and made a move to torture the semi-stoic man once more. Heero slapped the hand away with force, making knuckles crack. 

    "Ow!" The hurt fingers went into his mouth; he nursed them with a pout on his face and an unreal hurt look in his eyes.

    Wufei shook his head, but chuckled. "You never learn Maxwell. That will do you in one day I swear."

* * *

   "Be right back!" Keiko exclaimed. She ran from the living room to the door and pressed the intercom button. "Hello?"

    "Hey Keiko- it's Alex. I just wanted to return your book since I was in the area; the one I borrowed a few weeks ago. I'm just going to pop in because I have a few more errands that I need to run."

    "Oh, sure. I'll open the gate, and then come on in."

    She unlocked the deadbolt- she kept it locked most evenings out of habit- and went back to the young men. "My friend Alex is going to come in to return something, he'll only be here for a few minutes though. At least you'll get to meet him though. He's an awesome guy."

    "The one you worked with being a newspaper editor?" Trowa asked.

    She nodded. "The same. Wait, how did you know about that job? The internet I suppose…….," she mused to herself. Trowa smiled and nodded back.

    "Keiko?" Alex's voice called as the door opened. 

    "We're in the living room!"

    A man with dusty skin, twinkling hazel eyes and dark auburn hair appeared in the doorway clutching a thick hardback novel. He was casually dressed; just jeans and a red flannel. Keiko smiled at him, took the book and set it in the bookshelf beside the couch. "Did you like it?"

    He nodded instantly. "It was awesome-I never thought a twentieth-century novel could be that good!"

    "Stephen King was an awesome horror writer," Keiko agreed. "Would you like to borrow The Stand next?"

    "Sure," he returned, not noticing how she had stilled immediately after she had asked him that. Another man had shown up behind Alex. His tousled raven black hair had crimson highlights in it and fell softly into his royal blue eyes. He was as tall as Alex, but more muscular. The black shirt he wore was semi-tight against an extremely toned stomach. A thorny vine tattoo could be seen snaking around his bulging upper arm. It was a body that even Heero found himself envying. The man gave a friendly smile, but there was a hint of nervousness in it. "How are you Keiko?" he inquired, his voice velvety.

    She returned the smile but it wasn't her full one. She held the brightness of her eyes from it. "I'm doing very well Rykoshi, how about you?" She grabbed another book without breaking her gaze from his and gave it to Alex.

    "Holy crap, this one is a monstrosity!" he exclaimed at the same time Rykoshi said softly,

    "You must introduce us to your other friends Keiko."

    The tone was clear. iTell me who these people are and why they are here- now i Keiko stared back at him, and then said, "These are my friends from Earth. Change Wufei, Duo Maxwell, Quatre Winner, Trowa Barton and this is Heero; my boyfriend." She sat on the arm of the couch and put her arm around his shoulders.

    Heero saw Rykoshi's dark eyes flicker with anger, and he looked as though he was fighting back a sneer of malice. Heero stood up and offered his hand to Rykoshi. "It's nice to meet you. Keiko's told us ialliabout you," he jeered. He noted with satisfaction that he was easily an inch or two taller. Less buff maybe, but he would bet his Gundam that he was much more limber and agile.

    The other man flinched back slightly. He recovered swiftly and a burning anger flickered in his eyes, but he shook Heero's hand (with a death grip) and murmured, "It's a pleasure."

    "You guys are from Earth huh?" Alex smiled, oblivious to the thick tension in the room. "I heard it's lovely there. Would you mind telling me about it another time? We really must be going."

    Trowa nodded. "Some other time. Nice meeting you."

    "You too!" he said, then they were both gone.

    "Damnit, I wish he had told me that Rykoshi was with him!" Keiko spat. "Just so I have a heads up. Ugh…… Well, Alex doesn't mean to be spiteful, he's just so unobservant."

    She looked at Heero. "I wish you hadn't said that so snobbishly though Heero."

    "Why not? He can't hurt you."

    She only shook her head and sighed.

    "But did you see the man's body? He must live at the gym for god's sake!" Duo cried indignantly.

    "That he does," Keiko replied quietly, her eyes distant. "That he does."

 *  *  *

    Heero was exhausted as he lay sprawled upon his soft bed. The day at the park had been tiring and he still hadn't adjusted to L1's independent time.

    The night air was heavy and sultry. He welcomed the small breeze that blew in though the open French windows. It was a typical evening to simply relax and listen to the crickets chirp their love songs below in the garden. Tonight, though, the song was slow and slurred, as if the crickets had lost their energy from the heat also. Even the ceiling fan seemed to spin its' circles lazily, in no way helping to cool the hot bedroom.

    The young man glanced at the clock and groaned. It was already 8:00; night had fallen and yet it still hadn't cooled off yet. Fed up with the stifling room, Heero pulled his green tank top over his head and tossed it in the direction of his suitcase, then flopped back horizontally.

    His breathing slowed and became deeper as he listened to the night surrounding him. Drowsily, he thought he heard Wufei and a soft, angry voice-more than likely Trowa- yelling. What about exactly was unimaginable. 

    There was a soft tap at the door and Keiko entered, carrying lemonade glass. "Today was such a scorcher that I figured that all you boys would like something cool to drink," she said pleasantly.

    "Boys?" Heero countered, sitting up sluggishly as Keiko stepped gracefully over to him, a smile on her face. Her transparent blue robe swirled around her bare feet. And even though her nightgown was loose, it still clung to every curve.

    "Perhaps 'young men' would be a better term."

    "Perhaps. But would you like me to call you a girl instead of a woman?"

    She shrugged and set the glass down on the nightstand. "I don't care which I am called really. The age of the speaker will determine which I am classified un……der……"

    Heero's naked chest gleamed with a soft layer of perspiration; it had caught Keiko's attention and caused her to go temporarily blank. Heero noticed the sudden attention loss and followed her gaze. Finally she tore her eyes away from what lay before her.

    "It's warm in here," she said softly and stood to leave. "Don't hesitate to open your window- oh, it's already open- well…….the lemonade…… I brought it in……There, take it-" Keiko stammered breathlessly, pushing the glass towards him. She spun to go, but Heero caught her wrist.

    "Why are you running?"

    "I'm not."

    "Yes you are. Don't argue you know I'm right," he answered, using her lines from earlier that day.

    "Maybe I'm just scared……"

    "Of what?"

    "My past. Certain things remind me of it," Keiko replied. Heero tugged her to his side.

    "I promised that I would protect you. I don't back out of my promises."

    She smiled. "I believe you. But what has happened has wounded me. It's almost healed, but reminders will rip it savagely open again, just so it can bleed some more. One day I'll be over it and I'll have no regrets whatsoever."

    Heero lay back down, bringing Keiko with him at his side. They wrapped their arms around each other and he played with Keiko's long golden hair.

    "Do you ever regret fighting in the wars?" Keiko whispered.

    "All the time," he returned after a short pause. "But I can't go back and change the past, so I just cope with living with it. 

    "What about you? Do you ever regret meeting me? Getting involved with someone who has the blood of thousands stained on his hands?"

    She shook her head. "No, I've never regretted you. You helped me grow up faster, but I've not regretted that either."

    Heero smiled gently. "I'm glad." They kissed, long and sweet, in each other's arms. They kissed the night away. And the forgotten passion returned, like the steps of a ballroom dance; clumsy and slow at first, but then graceful and elegant.

*  *  *

    When she awoke, Keiko couldn't quite remember where she was. Then she saw Heero lying beside her and it all came back. She sighed happily. The night had gone well; she had slept through the whole thing. On the floor beside the bed lay her blue robe, which she had cast off sometime during the night

    Heero stirred and opened his blue eyes. "Why are you up so early love?"

    "I was thinking."

    "About what?"

    Keiko kissed his cheek softly. "Bring me back to earth with you."

 ~  ~  ~ 

 Squee! Done! AND ON TIME!!! *dies from shock* Wow, okay…….hmm I actually have nothing to say really. Except the usual begging for reviews ^_^ and to all those who reviewed- I thank you! *bows*


	8. Part 7

Hey all! Thank you so much for reviewing *luvs reviewsies* I guess this will be one of my 'thank you' places…

 Escawing: I wasn't thinking about putting Relena in this story but since you mentioned it maybe I will. She wont have a huge role but she'll have a purpose. We'll see ^_^

 CJ: *huggies* Yay! I got the italics to work!(Well, sorta. Good enough for the time being) Thank you!

Ashblackraven: Thank you for all your reviews!

Disclaimer- Blah blah blah don't own em blah blah blah

A/N: **CAUTION** This chapter has some blood, suggestive stuff, (maybe) gore (depending on what you think of gore as).It's not the WHOLE chapter, but there is some and kinda descriptive, so be warned. Don't flame me…..R&R though, I love that

Disclaimer: Blah blah blah don't own em blah blah blah

Forgotten Love: Part Seven

~ ~ ~ ~ 

    Heero looked up at Keiko in stunned surprise.

    "Bring me…….." she repeated quietly.

    He shook his head and sighed. Then a smile broke across his face. "Sure, why not?"

    "Really? You'll bring me back?!"

    Heero laughed at her obvious excitement. She obviously hadn't been expecting him to say yes right away. By the look on her face, she had already prepared a 'why not?' speech.

    Keiko threw herself at him in a tight embrace and squealed ecstatically. "Oh my Gosh Heero I'm so excited! I can live with you now!"

    "You……didn't mean for just a visit?" he asked. 

    "No silly!"

    His eyebrows shot up as he thought about the situation, then he shrugged. "Hell, it's better that way. We can cuddle all we want, well we can do that here to so long as we get the other out of the house," he added suggestively leaning in towards her.

    "Oh, go away!" she retorted pushing him. "I wear my V with pride! No one is touching this until I say so!"

    Heero pouted. "That hurts……"

    Keiko turned her nose up playfully. "Humph. Well, that's how it's gunna be mister. If you don't like it then go find some other blonde- but I warn you; she'll probably be annoying!"

    Heero flinched inwardly. Blonde ……Relena. Keiko didn't know about her, or vice versa. _Well this will be fun, he thought. __But maybe it'll work out well. _

 "When do you want to come?"

    She grinned. "As soon as I can! I need a while though, to tell everyone and get all my things in order. Do you have a house or an apartment?"

    "I live with Quatre and the rest of the guys in the Winner Estate for now until I can find another home."

    "Would he mind…….?"

    Heero gave her a look. "Keiko, it's _Quatre . I seriously doubt he wouldn't be hospitable enough to let you stay with him."_

    "I'm asking him anyways. It would be rude not to after all," she returned, stepping out of bed and stretching.

    He shook his head in amazement. "I didn't know you to be so ladylike." Keiko twirled around, razing her hands in a graceful ballerina pose and taking the tiny toe steps towards him. "Nor ballerina-like."

    "At the rate you're going, tell me something you know I'm like," she smiled.

    Heero looked up at her and she softly padded around the room and reached for the door. "You're beautiful."

    She glanced back at him. "'Beauty is in the eye of the beholder' Heero Yuy. But I thank you."

* * * 

    "Mother is coming over today."

     With those simple words the household was torn into chaos. Each of them was given a designated chore to do, whether it was vacuuming, dusting, or mopping. Beds had to made, dishes put away everything put in order. It wasn't that Lelita-san was totally anal about neatness, Keiko didn't really like the mess the five males had caused much herself and the house needed a nice cleaning anyways.

    The door opened at precisely 11:30 since her mother had her own clicker to the gate and a key to the door, just moments after everything had been finished. Keiko introduced her mother to everyone and Lelita greeted them with genuine interest and pleasure. The moment she saw Heero she rushed to him in an embrace and he met the face of the woman again. 

    The wrinkles were deeper, but not carved as though by a river. Her dirty blonde hair had grayed to an ashen color but her yellow-green eyes still flickered with the same defiant flames as Keiko's did. "It's good to see you again Heero. I had hoped that you would show up, but for so long…….you surely understand." He nodded in reply.

    Lunch was prepared in the kitchen and they all enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Keiko and the guys had made little mini sandwiches with potato salad and some cheese and crackers. Lelita seemed very interested in Quatre's company (all that technological/ employee stuff that you don't care about and is in no way related to the plot) and was absolutely in love with Duo's hair. She asked to brush it out but Duo refused quite flatly in a polite tone.

    "It's sort of sacred. It only comes down around those that are special to me," he said apologetically.

    "It's totally fine Duo," Lelita replied.

    This was the moment that it all boiled down to… "Mama," Keiko began hesitantly, wondering how to break it to her. "If I was to return with Heero to Earth, would you approve?"

    She held her breath, waiting for the show of sadness and disapproval. Lelita's face showed no emotion for a moment, then it cracked into a tiny smile. "I think that you would do as you wanted even without my approval. But I think that it would be wonderful. Earth is a beautiful place. Would you…….be moving there permanently?"

    "For at least a year."

    "Would be willing to leave everyone here?"

    Keiko glanced at Heero. "Yes."

    Lelita was silent for a moment. Contemplating. Then, ever so slowly, she nodded. "You have my blessing then." She turned her attention back to the braided man. "Duo, how did you happen to get that bruise on your face?"

    He froze and Wufei snorted into his potato salad. "Shut up," Duo hissed. "I got in a fight……,"he mumbled, shamed.

    "Well, I see. Hm…you know if you ice it and take some aspirin or something it will help it to fade better." She leaned over and whispered, "And dear, you need to blend the concealer more, it's flaky and makes it much more obvious." 

    Duo turned four shades pinker and muttered his thanks. Lelita smiled, glanced at her watch and quickly stood up.

    "Mom?"

    "Sorry to cut my stay short but I have a chiropractor appointment that I simply have to go to. My old rickety bones-"she smiled standing up. As if on cue her spine cracked loudly. "I'll drop by another time. Definitely in the next few days.

    "Oh, Keiko dear, I found this crumpled up by your door; you must have dropped it."

    Keiko took the wrinkled envelope and gave her mom a quick hug and walked her to the door.

    "Keiko, listen to me please," she spoke softly, urgently. "Go to earth, live with Heero. You truly love the boy- I know you do-and it will be good for you. Get away from Rykoshi and all the nasty people that you knew from school. You need to be rid of them. Honey, I think this decision is one of the most important ones that you'll ever make. Go through with it. Promise me you'll go through with it."

    She smiled. "So eager to send me away. I promise mom. I'll do the best I can. And you can trust Heero now Mother. He made a vow of his own- to protect me. And from what I know about him, he's a man that always keeps his promises."

    "Heero isn't what or who I'm worried about," Lelita replied and touched her daughter's face gently. "I've been worried about you. You weren't the same once he left. You lost that spirited look in your eyes. But he's helped. Heero will get you back to where you were. Then you can keep living. I'll be off. G'bye dear."

    "See you!," Keiko called and watched her mother drive down to the street. She glanced at the envelope in her hands and pulled out the paper inside it. It was made to look old, but it wasn't and she could easily tell but it was still interesting. Her look changed to confusion as she read it.

     _Keiko_

_La più cara donna, Della purezza e la virtù, Voi hanno interferito l'occhio delle bestie ed ora caccerà voi, Inseguimento durerà una quindicina, Allora io chiuderà in, Con desiderio e la lama, Voi non può fuoriuscire la vostra situazione difficile...... _

    "What in the world?" she murmured.

    "What?"

    Keiko looked up and found herself in the kitchen again. She rapidly stuffed the letter into her pocket. They didn't need to know about the letter. Whatever it was, it unnerved her. But she guessed it was probably just some fan letter from some foreign speaker. She had gotten those from time to time. Some German, Chinese, English, her own native Japanese. She had saved some of the ones that truly touched her; ones that also told of their writters pain in losing someone in the wars. And the ones from different countries- Equador, Kenya, Ireland, Russia, Mongolia, New Zealand, and all the others.

 _A fan letter letter_, she thought, reassured by her deduction._Jeez. Don't get all paranoid now Keiko. Time for that was years ago......_

    "A fanletter," she replied to Trowa. "Just a fanletter."

* * *

    The unconsciouss beauty lay before him in all her splendor and his breath pulled into his lungs with wheezing gasps of giddyness.

    "You fought hard dearest one," he hissed as he hauled himself up from the girl and buttoned up his pants. "I like a little fight. This chase was good." He stroked the young woman's face and she moaned softly in her dreams.

    The look of soft pain that furrowed her brow made him sneer. "Stupid women. You can never handle the pain- physical or emotional. You are weak. But, you have the gift of beauty.......and the beauty makes you powerful......." From the inside of his jacket he unsheathed a blade with a jeweled hilt. It caught the dim light of the alley and sent terrifying red lights shimmering around the two figures on the ground. 

    "And thus," he continued, sitting over the woman. "You must be kept under control, and you must never,_never forget your place. Ah, but you did. __You did. So you must be punished. And I will be the one to do so."_

    With a swift downward stroke he slashed the razor sharp dagger across her neck just as she was beginning to return from the depths of her mind. He felt the warmth of her blood soaking his clothes, and he reveled in it. He dipped the tip of the blade into the growing pool and wrote his signature on the concrete beside her body. Then he stood up, sheathing the dagger and snarled softly, "No one likes a taunter. You have learned your lesson."

    The young woman lay still, painfully dead. Beside her, written in her own blood, were the words "_Il Redentore di uomini" They were still wet, and they glimmered eirily in the fake light of the city._

~ ~ ~ ~ 

   Yep yep...done for now! *squee!*


	9. Part 8

A/N:  Yeah….^_^; Remember way back in like chapter. . . 1 or 2. . . I said that it was rated heavy pg-13 to R. . .  yeah last chapter was why. I'm sorry that some of you were upset but I _DID put up a little caution note. There's still more mature stuff coming but it's not like that. That should be pretty much over with. Hopefully._

Disclaimer: Keiko=mine. Everyone else=not

Forgotten Love: Part 8

~ ~ ~ 

    "And police reports have just confirmed another homicide, this time on the border of the B-3 and B-4 quadrants. The reports have also confirmed that it was indeed the serial killer who has struck numerous times in B-4," came the news report the next morning. As the five men and the one woman drank their morning coffee/tea, their talk was subdued by the matter at hand on the television. "The victim has been identified as Mara Suuichi; she was a 23 year old college student who had hopes of becoming a pediatrician. Civilians are advised to take special caution when traveling through these areas at night," the reporter concluded.

    Keiko sighed, switching the channel to a nature program. "I don't know about you guys, but I don't want to hear about that first thing in the morning. It will depress me for the rest of the day."

    "What a bummer that it had to happen again," Trowa mused. "You would think that he would have been caught now."

    "You would think. But sometimes people are just too smart to get caught. Or too lucky," Wufei added.

    Keiko fell silent and gazed out the window. The dawn's light fell in brightly through the pane with the flower sun-catcher and sent little beads of color falling to the floor. The colors danced as a breeze picked up and swayed the catcher. She loved it when the wind picked up from the east and blew in through the house. Normally, it came from the south and only sometimes managed to fly through the many windows that kept her home open and airy.

    "When are you going to go back home?" she asked. "I need to pack my things…… I think I'll leave most of the useless things here, but there's just so much _stuff. I'm going to need a bazillion boxes for it all……"_

    "We should be leaving in about another week," Quatre answered. "We all need to get back to work soon." 

    "Do….all of you work for Quatre?" Keiko wondered as she glanced at each face.

    "Everyone but Duo and me," replied Wufei. "I'm with Sally as a Preventer and Duo has his salvage company. Even Heero works with Quatre, which I find plain odd that he has held the job as long as he has……."

    "Why's that?"

    Trowa smiled and his one eye that wasn't hidden behind his hair twinkled with genuine amusement. "Heero sometimes has his own opinions about jobs and working hours, and he can be _very_ vocal about them. His mouth has gotten him into trouble numerous times."

    "But he told me that you work in the circus Trowa."

    "_Worked. Keyword there. I used too, but it got to be really stressful so I couldn't handle it……"_

    "What he means is that he scared too many kids with the clown getup," Wufei returned. "Then he ended up getting nicked by a knife that Catherine threw. Well, nicked isn't such a good word for it. I think stabbed it better-" Keiko gasped but Trowa cut interrupted before she could say anything.

    "After a minor surgery, several dozen stitches and a nasty scar later came my retirement," he finished hurriedly. "Heero thought it was cool, but no one has more scars than him…… Ask him to show you the one on his lower back and you'll get a good story," he winked.

    "Speaking of Heero, isn't he up yet?" Keiko asked, looking at the grandfather clock. "It's past nine. He's never slept in later than 8:30 or maybe a quarter 'til nine."

    "Last I was upstairs he was still sound asleep."

    The golden haired girl looked thoughtful. "Well, since he's still asleep maybe I'll slip away for a while and get some things. You guys like sushi or no?"

    "It's fine with me Miss Keiko."

    "That sounds good."

    "I guess I won't die from eating it this once, but you never know……"

    Keiko chuckled at Wufei. "You try so hard to seem mean and strong, like a dragon, but inside I know there's a warm heart 'Fei."

    Wufei's face blushed a soft rosy color and he became very interested in the ground at that moment.

    The young woman stood and grabbed a ring of keys and a denim purse from a hook beside the front door. "I'll be back soon!" she called then headed outside.

* * *

    It was already hot by the time she parked her silver Camry and hustled into the store to escape the heat.

    She grabbed a basket and scanned the aisles with a mental list already prepared. She walked briskly beside the shelves and didn't even break her stride when she mechanically reached out to put something in her basket. She still considered herself to be normal even after her increased fame. Most of the people in the surrounding area were kind enough not to make a scene when they saw her; rather, they just said a kind hello. However, every now and then someone new would see her and make a huge deal over it. The person was usually excited; Keiko couldn't blame them, she still remembered her days of chasing after idols. Nonetheless it was embarrassing and she truly wasn't in the mood to try her luck.

    _Go in, Get what I need, Get out she thought._

    "Oh, wow that cake looks yummy! Doesn't it look good Tama?"

    ". . .Yeah. It does. But you're birthday isn't for another couple weeks Sammy."

    Standing in front of the bakery section was a familiar young couple she had seen several times before- they looked no older than Keiko and Heero were when they first met. The brunette clung to the boy's arm, her form rippling with life and happiness. The boys blue-black hair accentuated his finely made features. He looked like he could be painfully serious one moment, then mischievous as a toddler the next.

    The girl sighed. "I know. Too bad though, the cake won't be here by then. Say, where did your mom run off to? Gah! I was supposed to help her pick out the food for tonight, I'll be with her!"

    Tama watched his girlfriend hurry off, trying to find his mother. Then he turned to the baker and Keiko just managed to hear him say that he would like a cake made for his girlfriend that looked exactly like the one they had been speaking about. The baker smiled and gave him the receipt.

    The boy turned and saw Keiko watching silently. He looked rather embarrassed, but Keiko nodded approvingly and smiled. Tama smiled back, and then ran to catch up with Sammy.

    As she reflected on the boy's actions, she remembered her own 15th birthday

- - - 

    _"Happy Birthday Keiko!"__ Lelita exclaimed as she handed her daughter a brightly wrapped gift._

_    "Thank you mom," she replied, wiping her forehead with her arm._

_    "I don't think there's ever been a May day that was hotter than this. How peculiar," her friend Mia(_the one mentioned in P.5) _observed._

_    Keiko's mom nodded. "I have to agree with you. Well, Keiko, c'mon open the gifts that we got for you."_

_    "Heero said he would be here though," she replied. "I don't want to start without him."_

_    Lelita gave a soft "Humph" of disapproval but she made no move to push her daughter. _

_    Her other friend, Chikyuu, who sat beside Mia, chuckled, "Punctuality is important Keiko. Is he always late?"_

_    "Heero works a lot of the time, I'm lucky that he even has time off to come to something as frivolous as my birthday."_

_    "Oh Keiko, don't say that," the chestnut haired Mia said. "You're worth it and I think he knows it- or at least he better."_

_    Keiko smiled but her stomach curled in nervousness. _What if he doesn't come? Will it mean that he doesn't care……I hope he comes……Oh Please Heero don't keep us waiting.

    _Lelita_ noted her daughters' pale face and, though she didn't like how Heero never revealed more than was polite about himself, she loved him for the fact that he made Keiko happy. She glanced down the hallway towards the door, then to the clock which read ___5:35__. He should have been here twenty minutes ago……_

    _A sharp knock broke the silence. "That's gotta be him!" Keiko squealed, jumping up from the table and running to the door clumsily. She stopped at the last second and composed herself, then opened the door._

_    "Hey!" she grinned, letting him inside. "I was beginning to worry."_

_    Heero smiled a little nervously. "I'm sorry. I couldn't get off any sooner and I had to clean up." He looked over the navy blue dress she wore and nodded. "You look nice"_

_    "Thank you."Keiko noticed a smear of grease across his cheek and smothered a laugh. "C'mon you, my friends and mom are in the kitchen. And you still have grease on your face so we'll clean that up too."_

_    Chikyuu's mouth dropped as Heero entered the room, all previous negative thoughts vanished. _Whoa…….gorgeous eyes. What a lucky girl Keiko is. _Mia was having the same thoughts._

_* * *_

_    Heero handed Keiko a present as she sat on his lap. The girl smiled her thanks and was about to tear the wrapping off when her Mom stopped her._

_    "One quick picture!" she said. Heero tightened his grip around her torso as she grinned. The camera flashed, snapped, and the photo was taken._

_    "I want a copy of that one," the boy behind her said._

_    "You'll get one don't worry!" The paper was torn off and out of the box came a pretty emerald sundress. Beneath it was a leather covered novel._

_    Heero shifted nervously beneath her. "I don't know how often you wear dresses, but when I saw that, it reminded me of your eyes. But I know you like to read, so I got you the book."_

_    Keiko held up the book. "The Complete Works of Edgar Allen Poe. Thank you so much! He's one of my favorite horror authors along with Stephen King! Oh, I've been searching for this everywhere!" She turned around and gave him a tight hug. "I think I'm definitely going to keep you for a while Heero! I'm never letting you go!"_

_    Heero smiled, but something in his eyes flickered and caught her attention. Those deep blue eyes, they had been so joy-filled earlier, but now they were filled with sadness, griefe……regret. Her gut plummeted to her toes and her head swam. _

_    "Heero?" she murmured, so softly no one could hear but him. "What is it?"_

_    "I have to tell you something……Let's go to thep ark after this," he replied in a near silent voice, eyes moistening with tears._

_    Keiko has never been so afraid in her life._

   ~ ~ ~ 

      Escawing: The part that occurred before the war are for you ^_^

      ACK!!! My numbers got all messed up….okay to clarify some things….In Part 5 (with the whole rose giving ordeal) Keiko say's she is 15, my bad. My hands must have slipped because she's actually 14, TURNING 15. It was kind of confusing since the picture Heero looked at in Part 2 said she was 15….So now that's cleared up.

     Oh, in addition, this story is updated monthly, no more*usually*, and no less. It takes me a while to type it out because I have limited computer use. I'm sorry to all of you who want it updated more frequently, but that's how it goes ^_^; Hopefully, though, with summer here I'll be able to get it up maybe a week earlier.

    Once again, I beg you all for reviews, whether they are positive or negative. I'm desperate for some more. They make me think this story is actually worth all the energy effort I've put into it, so please review!


	10. Part 9

Disclaimer: Not mine

Forgotten Love: Part Nine

~ ~ ~

    _"So you're a pilot for a mobile suit," Keiko whispered. "Even more- a Gundam……"_

_    Heero watched Keiko's silent form before him. She wasn't angry, or scared that she had gotten involved with a soldier. On the contrary, she seemed to have fallen into despair. "Yes," he murmured._

_    She looked up at him from the bench she was sitting on. "Why tell me this now? Did you think that I wouldn't be able to handle it at first or something?"_

_    "No, I didn't think that. I was stupid for never telling you, I knew that I had to leave eventually-"_

_    "Leave?" Keiko asked, eyes widening._

_    "…To earth. That's where I'm being sent."_

_    Her gaze dropped and her hands balled into tight fists that clenched and unclenched, as though they were itching to be around his throat. She said something inaudible._

_    "What?"_

_   "Why didn't you ever say that you would leave me? You……lied" she murmured. Heero didn't have a chance to reply because the golden haired girl launched herself at him screaming and pounding on his chest with her fists, tears streaming down her face. "You lied to me when I asked about what you did! Bastard!"_

_    "Keiko! I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, but I didn't know what I was getting into-"_

_    "**LIAR**!" Keiko screamed and punched him in the jaw. Hard, even for a girl._

_    Heero's head snapped to the side, then he slowly turned back to her. Keiko's eyes looked frightened, like a deer that had been caught in the headlights. Large, gaping, shocked eyes. She seemed to wither right in front of him. She had been angry and hurt, now she was shocked, scared and hurt. Keiko crumpled to her knees on the grass._

_    "I'm so sorry Heero," she whispered into her hands. "I'm so sorry. Please don't be angry."_

_    He sank down so he was level with her. "You don't need forgiveness," he said, gently pulling her hands down from her face. "You had every right to hit me; I did deserve it. Like I said, I don't know why I never told you sooner. Perhaps I thought I was saving you from heartbreak, but now I know that it's only going to cause you more. **I'm the one that needs to be sorry. I can't undo what I didn't say, but please……"**_

_    "When……when are you leaving?" she asked, her voice trembling._

_    "I don't know," he stated truthfully._

_    "Well, why do you have to go? Can't they have someone else?"_

_    "I've been trained to carry out the mission that I was given- Don't ask what it is or I'll have to-" he silenced himself and looked away._

_    "Have to what?" Keiko said._

_    Wordlessly, Heero made an L with his hand and placed his index finger right between her eyes. "Omae wo korosu," he returned in a calm, subtle voice that sent chills down Keiko's spine._

_    "I understand," she smiled slightly and got to her feet shakily. "You'll return right?"_

_    "I don't know," he replied. "I might die, I might not."_

_    "Please don't say that," Keiko gasped. "Promise, promise you'll come back after you're mission is over. I won't care if you don't have feelings for me any longer, just so I know that you're safe."_

_    Heero smiled sadly. "It's no guarantee……but I promise. I'll try as hard as I can."_

_    She walked into his arms and embraced him tightly. "Thank you, Heero." She stepped back and looked at him directly, her deep green eyes overflowing with tears that wouldn't stop. "I……I need to go home. I have to think about all this; I need to have time to soak it all in. Don't come see me for a day or two alright? I don't want to get angry again."_

_    Her hand brushed over his face on the area she had struck him. It was starting to puff up and turn blue-ish gray. "I've never hit anyone before; it's a shame I had to begin with you."_

_    As the girl spun to walk home, Heero started to speak but hesitated. After only one or two steps he blurted, "In case I never tell you, I love you, Keiko."_

_    Keiko turned, her blonde hair spinning out around her like a halo. She smiled, but it wasn't yet a joyous smile. "I know Heero……," she replied. "I do believe I love you-" She froze; her entire body paled and her eyes turned glassy._

_    "Heero……" she whimpered in a terrified whisper. "Heero……Come back, I need you."_

_    "I'm right here," he said and placed his hands on her shoulders. It was as though she couldn't see him. Her dead eyes continued to stare at something far away._

_    "Heero, where are you? I'm scared. Get it away. It's frightening. Oh god……Get it away from me!" she shrieked and tried to jerk away. "Lemme go- get away- I said away- Leave!"_

_    "Keiko! Keiko what's wrong!" he shouted, shaking her shoulders._

_    "Where are you when I need you……? God, Heero I **need** you. Help me, help me…Get away!" Suddenly, her entire body went rigid, she let out a piercing scream, then her entire body shattered right beneath Heero's hands, just like glass………_

_*  *  *_

Heero bolted upright in his bed gasping for breath; he was drenched in a cold sweat and tangled in the bed sheets. "A dream," he wheezed. "Pretty fucked up version of _that incident. Oh god……" He put a hand to his brow and sat there, trying to wake up and overcome what had disturbed him._

    Keiko had never freaked out, not when it really happened, but everything else had been the same. She had said, "I think I love you too, but I don't think anyone really knows what love is these days."  Then she had walked home and he had left her alone for a few days.

    Squinting against the bright light he glanced at the clock. "I slept in," he stated softly to himself. "Okidoki then, time to get up and get some lunch." 

    Still, even after occupying himself with getting dressed and all, his mind was still uneasy and on guard. How odd, he thought, pulling a plain black shirt on. All my dreams of late have been about Keiko- which definitely isn't _bad- but……several have ended with her screaming to me for help. _

* * *

    "Well look who's finally up!" Duo exclaimed as Heero strode into the kitchen.

    "Where's Keiko?" he returned with a quick sweep of the room.

    "Jeez not even a good-morning……"

    "Where is she?"

    "Relax man she went out for some grub. She'll be back," Duo answered brushing his bangs back from his indigo eyes with his hand. The other man collapsed into a chair beside him and sighed loudly. Duo glanced over at him with concerned atmosphere.

    "What's up with you? You're acting all uptight, got something stuck up your……" He quickly cut off the thought, if Heero was gunna be bitchy, best not to try and piss him off any extra.

    He mimicked Duo's earlier movement and swiped back his own hair. "Dream," he said.

    "Weird dream?"

    "Yeah."

    "That sucks."

    "I know."

    ……

    "Does she know about Relena?"

    Heero's eyes quirked, he made a cute little noise of exclamation and nearly toppled out of the chair. Duo's laughter rang out in the kitchen.

    "Guess that's a no then?"

    Heero nodded, silently.

    "Well, since Madame Stalker will most likely meet us at the terminal, she'll see Keiko and either- the two will fight over you- with Keiko kicking the crap out of Relena, or she'll finally give up on you."

    "Must it all end in violence or heartbreak?" The usually stoic man asked in an overly high, exaggerated voice. "I don't quite fancy it." He sipped an imaginary cup on tea and adjusted his monocle. 

    Duo burst into laughter and just about fell off the stool also as he clutched his sides. Heero chuckled softly at first but seeing the other pilots reaction next would make even the stoniest man go into fits just like Duo's.

    "I never thought I would see that from you, Heero Yuy. _Never!"_

"Don't doubt what hasn't been seen and has yet to be proven it's nonexistent."

    The two men turned as Keiko set several bags of groceries onto the counter by the refrigerator, solid as anything and everything, and not just all the pieces hastily glued back together. Heero practically leaped to his feet and had his arms wrapped around her waist before she'd put a single item away.

    "I'm glad you're ok."

    "I was only gone for a few hours Heero," she laughed. "You were sound asleep anyways!"

    "I'd rather be in prison than have nightmares about you," he replied nuzzling her neck.

    She stilled, then reached behind her and placed a warm hand on his neck. "I'm right here, and a dream is a dream, so don't fall under its trick-that's what it strives for. Nightmares are the seeds of our greatest fears, dwell on them and the fear will spread out everywhere like ivy," she said and gently kissed his temple.

    "Tell that to Mr. Bun Bun in my dreams!" Duo snorted.

    "Oh, Duo that reminds me, I got something for you!"

    "Really?!"

    "Yeah! Here!"

    She thrust into his hands a small something wrapped in brown paper. He tore it off and grinned widely. "You got me fudge! Awwwwww, I feel so loved!" T_T

    "Of course you are!" Keiko replied then gasped slightly. Gently she touched his face and pressed down lightly; Duo made no response. "Heh, you're bruise is gone already."

 * * * 

    He silently watched her as she stuffed some clothes and a stuffed panther into the large cardboard box and taped it shut. Then she began to work on another, this one was for books, journals and photo-albums though. "What did you do before your published your book?" he inquired softly.

    "I worked with Alex for the newspaper," she replied, trying to fit one last stubborn album in the box. "I was an editor."

    "What about after- did you quit your day job?"

    "Not really. I just- started-working-at home," she grunted as she jammed it down and quickly taped up the box. "A couple weeks later I decided to take a break, and then you showed up, so I gave my two weeks notice that day."

    "I've never heard you on the phone with anyone."

    "They email me all my stuff to my laptop. Saves the hassle."

    "What did Alex do?"

    "Small name journalist- Oh crap that reminds me, he has my book. Damn! I need to get it back!" She hurried over to her bedside and swiped her phone up.

    Heero rolled over on his back and looked up at the canopy of her bed. Only a few days left until they went back to earth……and with one more person. He was still expecting to wake up to Duo screaming in his ear at Quatre's estate. Yet he still hadn't, and that was the only proof he had that he wasn't dreaming, or else he would have woken right after Keiko asked to come back.

    "…… So yeah, that's why I need it back," Keiko was saying. "Do ya think you could possibly return it today sometime?.......Ah yay thank you so- wha?.......Well, yeah I guess that's fine……No! Its okay……Really, I promise I'm okay with it!.......Yes. Did you at least read it?.......That's good. I'd feel badly if you hadn't finished it……Alrightly, I'll expect it shortly. Byeeeeee."

    "What's wrong?"

    "Nothings wrong, I'm just overreacting."

    " 'Bout what?"

    She shook her head. "Nothing big; something trivial. Alex is having Rykoshi drop the book off since he's busy with a deadline. I'm just," she added. "So stressed……"

    Heero rolled off the bed, walked up behind Keiko and put his arms around her shoulders. "It'll be over soon love, don't worry. I know you can cope."

    "Heh," she laughed. "I'd better be able to cope with a little stress." Keiko closed her eyes and rested her head against his arms. "I'm so excited though."

    "Me too," he said. "Have you ever been to earth?"

    "Never. But I've always wanted to go, but when the war began I rather lost my interest in going. By the time it was over I was trying to get a job and pay for college and-bleh."

    "You'll enjoy it. What do you want to see the most?" Heero asked softly.

    Keiko glanced outside while thinking for a moment. "Real sunlight," she replied, smiling. "And real air."

    He nuzzled his face into her hair. "Good choice. I hope it's sunny and breezy when we get there."

    "It wouldn't matter; you're going to be with me so it will all be okay."

* * * 

    "Thank you Rykoshi," Keiko said stiffly as he handed her the novel on the doorstep.

    "You're welcome," he replied, smiling.

    "Would you like to come in for a cup of tea?" The formalities of being kind to others, they were sometimes a nuisance. She only did it out of habit, but Rykoshi never came in. Maybe he felt it would be too awkward or impolite after what had happened, but Keiko was glad that he never accepted the offer.

    "Oh, no, thank you. I have to get back home. But if you don't mind me asking, why did you need it returned to soon? I had hoped to borrow it after Alex."

    She gazed down at his smiling face. He was handsome enough and had been popular in school, but no one knew the real him; he was two faced. One moment he could be the most gentlemanly person in the colony, the next, a whirl or scarlet rage and anger. Still, standing below her he looked so docile…... Enough to fool even the least naïve woman.

"I'm leaving," she stated.

    His smile vanished. "To where?"

    She smiled to look casual. "I'm moving in with Heero."

    "On earth?"

    "Yes."

    A deep scowl formed beneath his eyebrows. "You can't go- what about everyone here? Like your mother, she's getting old. Are you just going to leave her alone to be with some guy?" Rykoshi snarled.

    Anger rippled through her. "No, my mother was the won who suggested that it would be best if I go."

    "What a stupid choice- I can't, I cannot believe that you would just up- and- go when you have friends, family, a nice home and a nice job. How immature."

    "If all you're going to do is criticize me then you can leave," Keiko hissed. "Because I'm not going to take it." She turned and opened the door when he grabbed her wrist. Her stomach plummeted as memories flashed in front of her eyes. 

    _He had grabbed her wrist……The anger in his eyes……Fear……Her own anger and fear. The screaming. The blow that stung like fire on her face. Then the blow from her, from some source of strength buried deep inside her……_

    She gasped and spun, jerking her arm away. "Don't touch me!" she spat.

    Rykoshi looked at her with pleading eyes. "Please, Keiko, don't go to earth. I beg you. It's a vile place full of death and sickness. There are so many poor there and everything can get contaminated. Stay here for your own good. Here you're safe. On earth, men turn on each other and kill-"

    "All that is _here as well!" exclaimed Keiko. "I want you to leave. And don't come back without Alex."_

    "Keiko?" Heero asked from behind the half open door. "Alright?"

    "Yeah, I am. Rykoshi was just leaving."

    He stood, unmoving, then asked, "Can I have a hug goodbye as a last request?"

    She strode to him without answering, threw her arms around him and let his wrap around her for just a second, then pulled away.

    "It was a pleasure to know you Keiko, too bad it never really worked out," he said.

    Keiko nodded curtly. "The same. Goodbye."

    "I'll be seeing you."

    And as she watched him go, she hissed under her breath. "I dearly hope not." Then she turned and went back inside, having only eyes for Heero as he stood there, looking concerned. He embraced her warm body and gave her a short, tender kiss.

    "Stress level down?" he whispered.

    "Of course."

~ ~ ~

     Yay! Done! Oh yeah I rock. Kinda ^_^ heh. And thankies so muchies for all the nice reviewsies (too many –ies……) Your feedback was greatly appreciated ^_^ Thank you!

 _Up next we'll have Keiko finishing  her packing, A mysterious man, and an encounter with Relena so don't stop reading!_


	11. Part 10

 Hehe This chapter is longer than I thought it would be. Too many speeches by characters. Well, hope they don't bore you to death but I was trying to add some depth to some pretty much *ahem* non-existent relationships between two characters. Still……I think I need to try and develop some of the relationships a bit more, but once on earth the plot will pick up and there won't be much room for that.  -_-; I'll try though.

~ ~ ~

    Eyes snapped open as Keiko sat up stiffly. A tingling sensation ran down her arms and legs popping goose-bumps up all over. She could have sworn that she heard something……

    She sighed. "Paranoid," she muttered to herself, glancing at her clock which flaunted that it was two in the morning. Keiko groaned softly and flopped back down into her fluffy pillow, sleep already beginning to reclaim her.

    _Crick._

    There it was again! She hadn't been hearing things in her sleep after all! Creamy legs swung out from the bed sheets and she silently got to her feet and tiptoed to her door, not bothering with a robe or anything.

    _Crick_

_    What's making that noise? One of the guys?_ She thought, and then remembered the time_. No. None of them have ever been awake this early……er, late? Whatever._

She may be living in a rather nice neighborhood, but everyone within a five mile radius knew who she was and that she lived here, making her more prone to burglary. Was that what it was? A burglar?

    Anger flared up in her insides. She wouldn't be taken advantage of. Not again. No siree. This was her house and no one had the right to take any of her things.

    Keiko opened the door and padded noiselessly down the hallway until she reached the top of the stairs. The bottom floor was completely dark so it couldn't be one of the guys. She could hear noises coming from below more clearly now-heavy footsteps on her wooden floor and soft murmurings.

    "Should have. . . sooner," muttered the masculine voice. "Didn't . . . going. . ."

    Keiko leaned forward, straining to hear, but the man had moved to the room. 

    "Dirty asshole," she hissed under her breath, ready to wake the boys so they could beat the crap outta the person. Keiko turned and collided with someone who had been standing less than an inch behind her. A soft cry broke from her lips a second before Trowa's hand clamped down on her mouth. Still holding her, he dragged her back.

    "Quiet," he growled coming to a stop next to one of the doors. "Stop struggling- it's only me." He used his free hand to open it and closed it quickly once they were in.

    "God Trowa don't _do that! You scared the bejezus out of me!" she snarled once he had let her go._

    "What? Standing that close behind you," he asked. "Or perhaps saving you from revealing yourself to a potentially dangerous person?"

    ". . .Em,jer, guh-The last one!" she retorted, flabbergasted.

    "Um, mind telling me what you're talking about?"

    Heero blinked at them with a mildly surprised and confused look etched on his face. 

    "Someone broke in," Trowa stated. Heero sat up calmly and began rummaging in his suitcase.

    "Why am I the only one spazzing out?" Keiko asked the two.

    "Because we've had worse than to be frightened- Ah there it is," Heero replied vaguely, pulling up a slim metallic object from a hidden pouch.  He held it up and examined it. "It's not loaded. Trowa will you help me find the cartridge?"

    "Since when do you have a gun?!" she hissed.

    He said nothing as Trowa smiled and helped dig into the pile of clothes. " Heero's always had a gun- it's like it's attached to him. I'm surprised you didn't have it stashed in your boxers."

    "Yeah, well, the one time I don't have it loaded or on my person."

    "God, I……Just, whoa. Whoa. That's all I can say."

    "Where is the guy?" Heero asked, shoving aside shirts.

    "Downstairs last we saw-"

    "Where specifically?"

    "I don't know! Maybe the hallway or the kitchen. I didn't go down there-"

    "Shhh!" Trowa's head snapped up, he glanced at the door, then to Heero. " Did you hear that?" Heero nodded as his glare turned to stone.

    "Heard what?" Keiko asked. "Guys?"

    "Keiko, be quiet!" Heero whispered, pulling her down to him and Trowa. Now she could hear it too. Heavy, slow thudding steps going down hall towards Keiko's room.

All three sat tensely on the floor, waiting for the footsteps to pass them by. When they heard the door to Keiko's room open and close, the guys let out a sigh of relief.

    Heero noticed Keiko's fingers trembling. _Poor thing, she doesn't know how to handle this. I wish I could make her feel more protected- But, that first day, in the parlor, Duo fell in love with that sword……_

    "Heero, I'm scared," she whispered softly. "Can't you find your bullets?"

    He tried to give her a comforting look, but he wasn't sure if he was successful or not because her body language didn't change, though she did give a weak smile. "I know you are love. As of now, the cartridge is misplaced-"

    "But what if she comes in here?" she asked, her voice rising slightly. "If he's armed then we're helpless!"

    "I know," he answered, touching her face. "That's why I need you to go downstairs and get that sword from the parlor. If you can, bring it back up here before the man comes downstairs. If not, hide somewhere, it doesn't seem like he's turning the place inside out in order to find whatever he wants. Can you do that for me while we try to find the ammunition?" Keiko swallowed the large lump in her throat and nodded. "Thank you. And don't worry, I'll protect you."

    The next thing she new, she was out of the Blue Room and going down the stairs. _Hey, third stair from the bottom creaks, third from the bottom, the voice in her head reminded her indifferently. Her feet descended on the stair for a second before she quickly hopped down to the next one and ran into the parlor. The damage had already been done. Those threatening, heavy footsteps were thudding away from her room and down the hallway._

    She dashed into the parlor, stumbled and nearly fell as she flew across the room and climbed up onto the stuffed chair so she could reach the sword.

    Her heart was pounding in her ears so loudly the man must surely have heard it. Her violently trembling fingers worked at the tiny gold knob in vain. Footsteps from the stairs. . . now the entry way; he was heading towards the parlor.

    "Shit," she muttered, still fumbling to get the case open. _How freaking long does it take to find his bullets- the one time he **doesn't** have his gun loaded._

    "So there you are."

    Keiko fought the urge not to turn and run as she froze. Fight or flight, fight or flight. Her mind said flight but her heart said fight. With a wrench the case lid flew open; she grabbed the weapon inside it and spun around to face her attacker, sword in hand.

    He had been walking toward her, now it was his turn to freeze. A dark ski mask covered all but his eyes and the tip of his nose and the rest of his body was also covered in dark clothing, right down to the gloves he wore. In a light voice, so obviously not his normal tone for a man of his stature, he said, "Now, now let's not be hasty."

    Keiko lowered herself down from the chair, keeping the sword between them both. "Get _out," she returned. "Of my house."_

    The man took a step forward, deranged laughter filling the room. " I don't think so. There's something I want first."

    "I mean it, _get out." Keiko's words went unheard and the man was getting closer. She felt a wall against her back and realized to her horror that she unconsciously backed away. She had a sword dammit, she should have to back down. Rage boiled and bubbled, drowning out all of her senses._

    In a lightning quick moment she lunged at the man, sword raised above her head. "_You're not welcome here!" she screamed. The man hadn't been expecting her to move so suddenly, but his reflexes were quick enough that he jumped back. The blade sliced down his torso, tearing the shirt and leaving a gash down his chest, rather than plunging into his shoulder._

    Keiko scurried past him toward the doorway just as Heero and Trowa appeared- Heero with his gun in his hands. Behind her, she heard the man roar, and then he lunged at Keiko the moment his initial shock wore off. Heero raised his gun and Keiko fell to the floor so he could have a clear shot. The second she ducked he pulled the trigger; Keiko felt the bullet zoom over where her head had been less than a second before.

    It hit him. The man lurched backward as the bullet lodged into his shoulder. He swore loudly, and clawed at his shoulder in vain. Keiko looked up at the man from the floor, frozen in shock and surprise, and their eyes met. A primal snarl came from him as he swung his leg forward and connected with the unprotected area of her torso, flinging the light woman against the entryway. She rolled over onto her hands in knees in an instant, retching from the blow. On the fourth or so heave, something came up, even in the dim light it looked horribly like blood. There was a curse from Heero and another shot fired that joined the one his shoulder.

    Blood was dripping down from his multiple wounds, mainly from the long cut on his chest, and he seemed to sense he had entered a no-win situation. With another snarl he threw himself at the window and disappeared outside. Trowa grabbed Heero's gun and ran to the broken window and fired once more at the retreating burglar.

    "Damn, missed," he murmured and turned back to his friends.

    Keiko was curled up on her knees on the floor, trembling and laying partially in her own crimson vomit. Heero knelt down beside her and tried to take her into his arms.

    "No!" she gasped, pushing at his chest roughly. There was a wild, scared look in her eyes that he had never been seen before. Something was missing from those eyes, they were different than they had been a second ago.

    "What the _hell_ is going on?" Duo's alarmed voice cried as he, Quatre and Wufei thumped down the stairs. "Here we are, nice and asleep, when freaking gunfire wakes us up!"

    Trowa glanced up from Heero and Keiko's huddled forms and replied calmly, "Someone broke in. He tried to get to her so we had no other choice."

    Duo made several cute noises as he tried to comprehend it all. "Bu- But this is Keiko's house!" he returned loudly. "Why would anyone……oh, wait."

    Trowa nodded. "That's exactly why. At least, that's why I think it happened."

    The four of them grew silent, looking down at Heero and Keiko. Her big green eyes stared blankly at Heero's chin as he murmured to her, hands placed gently on her shoulders. His face was burning with the intensity of his 

    "……You're ok. He won't be back, I promise. We're leaving tomorrow anyways and there's no way this will ever happen to you again while we're at Quatre's."

    Tears spilled down her face when she blinked, washing away the blank look and letting a new emotion take over. Not tears of happiness or sadness, but of despair. " It's my fault," she whispered, turning her head away from them all. "It's my fault he got in."

    "Oh, Keiko, no. No it's not," Heero replied scooting closer to her and softly manipulating her head back to where she was facing him straight. "It's not. Don't ever think that."

_    She still has that look_, he thought. _That look that I have never seen before in her. _What is it? There's somewhere else that I've seen it- but where?__

"Yes it is!" she jerked her head away and stared at the ground, struggling to keep her voice steady. "I've always been childishly naïve, thinking that nothing could ever hurt me. I had this silly little notion in my head that I lived in a perfect world and there was no way I would face any danger. Those kinds of things _don't happen to me, it may to other girls __but not me. Then Rykoshi ……," her tone lost its bitterness and tears rolled faster from her eyes. For a moment she didn't continue, then, when she spoke again, her gently voice was devoid of everything. She sounded awfully like Heero, the four standing men noted. Heero must have realized it too because his face turned pale and the hands on her shoulders tightened for an instant before falling limply to his sides._

    "Rykoshi happened. Yeah, sure, something bad happened. But I got my two cents in- kicked the bastard hard enough to land him in the hospital for stitches. Yeah, that took all the fear out of the moment seeing him shrivel like that. So I recovered, still believing I was unbreakable. But tonight, tonight taught me that I'm _not _untouchable. Someone could kill me at anytime and never get caught." Keiko looked up into Heero's eyes and tried to manage a smile through her tears, failing miserably.

    "I'm just another weak woman who was too stupid to realize the danger I've put myself in. I'm just a weak woman," she repeated. Then, she broke. She simply fell forward, her head on Heero's chest- the rest of her not touching anything- and broke down sobbing.

    Quatre, Trowa, Duo and Heero couldn't think of anything to say that would console Keiko. Heero started to reach for a hand that was crossed tightly over her chest, then stopped. 

    Wufei moved and was standing over Keiko, glaring down at her with his obsidian eyes. "Listen to me," he ordered sharply. "I may call some women weak or cowardly and it might appear that I loathe them. Often times that's true. Women thrive more on emotions and feelings than men do, making them much more sensitive. That makes a crappy soldier. But there have been several female soldiers I've met that I have a very high respect for because, while they do live off their emotions, they don't let them get in the way. There are very few women I know that I respect for just being their normal selves-" he stooped down to one knee and lifted her tear streaked face up-" and you are one of them," Wufei continued in a gentler voice. " You are not weak. Don't hand yourself a self-fulfilling prophesy. You've suffered through so much-granted, not as much as some but still more than many- and you had fire raging in your eyes until a moment ago. If you shatter now, I swear, I will lose what respect I have recently gained for you."

    Keiko looked up at Wufei; tears trickling out of her large doe eyes, at his man who had never seemed to care about anyone except for himself. How was it that he was suddenly _motivating_ her? She swallowed, more tears spilling down her cheeks.

    "C'mon, give me a smile Keiko," he urged. " So long as all of us are here, no harm will come to you. Heero will die before he lets you get hurt, I know that for a fact and I'll be around to help too. So don't get this "oh poor me I'm so helpless" thinking, because it will eventually drive us all insane. Now are you going to smile and shape up, or are you going to stay a whining woman?"

    All her tears forgotten, Keiko sat staring, mouth hanging open, into the dead serious charcoal eyes of the Chinese man, speaking to her totally unabashed. 

    "You……You have no right to……," she said, a frown furrowing across her brows.

    "Smile."

    "No."

    "Smile," he laughed, poking her ribs.

    "No," she repeated, the firmness in her voice gone as she tried to keep from laughing. "Jeez, fine! There! I smiled! Are you happy?"

    "For the time being," Wufei replied, promptly standing up and walking out of the room. "It's late, I was woken up, I observed, I did my part, I'm tired and now I'm going to bed. If any of you assholes wake me up earlier than I need to be-" He glared pointedly at Duo. " I will make your lives miserable all the way back to Earth." 

    "He means it too," Duo muttered. " But at least he's back to normal. This sympathetic I-respect-special-women was freaking me out."

   Trowa poked his head in the doorway (A/N: He seems to do this a lot- random appearing/disappearing), his long hair looking even more comical than normal. "I found out how our friend got inside. It seems to me like he crawled in through the kitchen window."

    "Shit," Keiko muttered, getting to her feet. "I forgot to lock it yesterday evening."

    "I'm going to call the police and have them make a report," Quatre stated, heading for the living room. "I doubt they'll be able to do anything since we're leaving tomorrow- but I'll give them my phone number and address.

    "Thank you, Quatre-kun."

    He smiled, stifling a yawn. "You're welcome. Now, you get cleaned up. Tomorrow's your day."

* * *

    Each former gundam pilot- as well as Keiko- took advantage of the flight to Earth as a chance to catch up on the sleep they had been deprived of earlier that morning. Wufei had brought along his sleeping pills, but he could have taken 10 of them himself his sleep was so deep.

    Still, the flight didn't seem long enough and the six of them shuffled around the terminal puffy-eyed and conversing in grunts reminiscent of Neanderthals, getting stares from the surrounding adults, and looks of adoration from the tiny children. 

    One pointed to the group and whispered loudly to her companion, " Whenever I do that my mommy always says that I'm not speaking right, but they can do it! I told you it was a right way to speak!"

    They shuffled leaving the terminal, they shuffled getting their baggage, and they even shuffled into the limo Quatre had arranged to pick them up and drive them to his estate. Once inside the limo, they promptly fell dozed again for the next hour and a half that it took to get to arrive. Finally, they gradually began to wake up and shake off their sleepiness

    "I'm just so ecstatic about being here," Keiko stated softly. "I've dreamed of coming to Earth for the longest time-" She stretched and closed her eyes-" Especially to have real sunlight. It doesn't seem too different at first, but this stuff gives you natural warm, calm warmth."

    Heero smiled and returned his eyes to the scenery flashing out of the window. "Oh, Keiko, we're nearly there. You can just barely see it through the trees." He placed a finger on the glass and pointed outside.

    Practically crawling on top of him she asked, "Where? I can't see- Ooh…..Quatre. Oh my God. You call that a house? It's gargantuan!"

    Quatre grinned, running a hand through his hair as a light blush crept up his face. "Yeah well……A lot of people assume that I'm a snob coming out of a. . . house. . . like that. What I mean is that it doesn't really reflect on who I am as a person, it just happens to be where I live."

    When they pulled into the long circular driveway and got out of the limo, a man came to take their baggage from the trunk. Keiko eyes him curiously, but none of the others seemed to notice him and they were all heading inside so she decided that she didn't need to help.  As she hurried to catch up, Keiko noticed Wufei was separate from the others and figured that now would be a good time to tell him something she had meant to say earlier.

    "Wufei?"

    The Chinese man turned around. "Hm?" 

    Keiko smiled at the look of him in the sunset's crimson glow. It made his hair a beautiful raven black with red mixed in from the fading light and turned his white, loose outfit (yes the precedented white one) orangey in color. "Thank you Wufei. For the other day," she said, strode up to him and kissed him on the cheek.

    He was curiously unfazed by what she did, but it didn't matter much to her. Wufei returned her action with a small smile. "Don't mention it."

    Keiko giggled as she followed him inside Quatre's home. "Okay."

    "No. I mean it. Don't bring it up again," he said gruffly, looking over his shoulder at the beautiful woman standing in outside, made even more beautiful by the sunset. She caught the playful glint in his eyes, laughed and caught up with him.

~ ~ ~

    Loves, Vela-chan . Hope you all enjoyed ^_^ I didn't manage to get Relena into this chapter, so, expect *her* to show up soon. Unpleasantly soon. Drop me a note whether it's just to say hi, yay/nay on the "new" Wufei or if you have any questions or suggestions. I love feedback J. Oh and I promise, this burglar guy wasn't just some excuse to help with the Keiko/Wufei relationship- it will be made clear- just trust me!

    P.S. I wasn't really sure what kind of gun Heero has…so I just made it a semiautomatic pistol. However, I know next to nothing about firearms so could someone tell me whether those have cartridges or plain bullets? And if anyone knows which form of gun he uses……I would love you to death ^_^ Thankies!


	12. Part 11

 Relax, read and enjoy! I managed to get it out JUST before October-WHEE! 

Disclaimer: Not mine

Forgotten Love:Part Eleven

~ ~ ~

    The door opened, and the expected woman rushed in, furious. "Where the _hell have you all been? I kept trying to get a hold of you and the only reply I got was 'Master Quatre and his companions have taken a trip to the colonies'. You all left without _one_ word to me!"_

    The blonde haired young man sighed softly, leaning into the comfy chair of his desk. "Sorry you worried about Heero, Relena. He's in his room, still asleep, however you might want-"

    The Peacecraft daughter had already slammed the door to Quatre's office closed before he finished. "Knock first. . . It's not even eleven yet for Christ's sake. Her Heero-radar must have been going off since some awful hour."

    He heard a shriek- muffled by the heavy oak door- that was mingled with the sounds of laughter, which no doubt belonged to Duo and, perchance, Wufei? He sighed again and shuffled out into the hall and to the left where, at the far end of the sunlit hall, Trowa, Duo and Wufei stood, doubled over, trying to contain their crack-ups, but occasionally a short laugh would escape. Relena was currently (almost) screaming at Heero the same things she had said with Quatre. 

    "-Never in my life have I been so upset! You disappeared on me! You usually let me know but this time you didn't and I worried about you for the past weeks! I-"

    Heero's eyes rolled heavenward, unnoticed by Relena as she continued to rage. Keiko watched the young woman fume with mild interest as she had her arm linked with his. Quatre noticed that they were both dressed at least. Heero in soft black jeans and a white shirt with some band name on it, and Keiko in overall shorts and a navy blue shirt with a v-neck that didn't descend too low. Quatre smiled trying to recall the Heero from six years ago. Heero had gotten rid of his black shorts long ago, apparently only wearing them for their usefulness during missions.

    "Why didn't you let me know where you were?" Relena whined.

    Heero hid the look of annoyance but finally managed to add a word in his defense. "I don't need to inform you about my every move, last I knew of. There are some things I like to keep private-"

    "Like her!" she returned indignantly. "How long have you kept her a secret from me? I thought-"

    Heero shook his head in disbelief as well as sending the obvious statement to Relena. "We were never together Relena. The only things we ever did- dates as you consider them- was go to the balls you dragged us all too. This woman is no mistress of mine- understood? She was one of my first people to befriend me and she's also my girlfriend."

    Her hands tightened into fists, and her mouth was dangerously straight as Relena glared at Heero. Part of her anger was directed at herself, for being so naïve all these years, but the majority was to him, partially for insulting her in front of everyone. Him and his little mistress who seemed to be a growth on his arm. _Asshole, she thought.__ Insulting me in front of everyone. It had occurred to her that she could have talked to him in private but she had meant to humiliate him in front of the others and send the would-be little mistress on a guilt trip._

    Keiko inclined her head sideways at a very slight angle, studying the Princess. "You look familiar. . ." she stated, a gentle smile on her lips. "Have I seen you somewhere?"

    "Relena Dalian. Also known as Relena Peacecraft," she replied with a sneer.

    "Keiko Yamigachi," she returned, and then her face lit up. "_You're the Peacecraft heir?" _

    Relena took the stress on Keiko's first word and the smile on her face to be another blow to her pride. And it was finally crushed.  

    "Pleased to meet you," she returned stoically, gently shaking Keiko's hand. " And I am the same Peacecraft you think of. I'm sorry to have been. . .rude. I wasn't fully aware of your. . .relationship with Heero."

    "It's understandable," Keiko replied, thankful that this hadn't escalated into any physical fight. Relena seemed like the overpowering type of person to do such when she didn't get her way. _Hard to think that I respected her at the time of her crowing. . . But hey, that was years ago and I was young and stupid. She acts so callow- it's both funny and disappointing._

    A dead smile forced itself to her lips. "I need to talk with Heero alone, if I may" she stated and turned away from the others. "I'll be waiting downstairs in the living room."

    "That wasn't half as bad as I thought it was going to be. . ." Duo laughed. "I had expected her to go off on Keiko. Jeez, my stomach hurts now from holding in my laughs. I should have just done it while she was up here. . ."

    Wufei smiled and replied, "Too bad Maxwell, you lost your chance."

    "Yeah. . .I'm going to hate myself over it now though. . ."

* * * 

 Wandering absently to the beige couch, Relena plopped down and stared at the blank television across from her. A low glass table was in front of her near her feet, with several mugs of cold coffee sitting on delicately painted ceramic coasters. Something was sticking halfway out from underneath one, trapped between the coaster and the glass. A brief battle was fought in her mind, whether to see what the thing said or not. Her curiosity won the best of her. She picked it up, unfolded and let her gaze wander across the quickly scrawled lines                                                                                                       

_La più cara donna, Della purezza e la virtù, Voi hanno interferito l'occhio delle bestie ed ora caccerà voi, Inseguimento durerà una quindicina, Allora io chiuderà in, Con desiderio e la lama, Voi non può fuoriuscire la vostra situazione difficile. . ._

    She frowned at the words. She could've sworn she knew this language. . . Something clicked in the back of her mind and she suddenly recalled it. She skimmed the words again, and her cerulean gaze lit up in surprise as the translation came to her. 

  "What are you doing?"

Relena spun around, something clenched in her fist. Keiko's eyes were drawn to her tightened hand, and her brow furrowed as she tried to recognize the crumpled object.

"Why do you have that?" she asked softly, yet there was a hint of anger in her voice. She wouldn't blow up at this girl, no. She was determined to prove to herself that she was much more mature than her and wasn't susceptible to fits of teen-like jealousy.

   Relena's gaze dropped. She hadn't meant to read it, but it had just been sitting there- plain as day on the table- it was an open invitation to read it!

"That's not yours," Keiko was saying, stepping towards the former queen of the earth. "Give it back." Her arm extended, palm open and waiting to receive the paper back. The blue eyes woman mumbled something undistinguishable then raised her head.

"Where did you get this?" Relena asked, reading the few sentences over again and then holding the note out to her.

Keiko grabbed the letter and held it to her chest. "I found it outside my house and since it was addressed to me I assumed it was from a fan; I get letters from foreigners often you know."

The woman's voice was dark and serious. "That's not something a normal fan would write. When did you get that letter?"

"Almost two weeks ago, why? You can read it? What's it say?"

 "You've surely heard about those killings taking place on your colony?"

"Of course!"

Relena smiled grimly. "You do know that there was another one last night?"

"What does all this have anything to do with my letter?" Keiko asked, starting to lose her patience.

"Well, there was a note found next to the body, and somehow the press got a hold of it and it's been all over the major news channels. . ."

"You're point?" Keiko prompted.

"You've been given the same thing."

    Keiko stared at her. Just a simple, unbelieving stare, which wasn't quite the reaction Relena had hoped for. She wanted Keiko, this person who took all her hopes for a chance with Heero and crushed them, to show _some_ sign of fear. Just to prove that she was human, because, so far, she had failed to see any flaws in her. And this made her spine tingle with malice and envy.

    "You do realize that you are holding a piece of evidence in your hands, Keiko?" Relena stated with a tiny trace of hope.

    She smiled. "Sure I know it.

    "Then you'd best go to the authorities."

    The smile turned into a grin. "Oh contraire, _your highness_, I'm not giving this up until everyone has had their say and you tell me what the thing says." She could see Relena's jaw clamp while a muscle by her temple ticked for a second and she concealing a laugh. _You were the Queen of the Earth six years ago? Did you accomplish anything at all? You're acting like a twelve year old when you're twenty-one. I don't see how you did it!_

    So, what does it say Relena?"

    The woman snatched the note from Keiko's hand and snapped, "It says as follows: Keiko- Dearest woman of purity and virtue, you have caught the beasts eye, and he will now hunt you, the pursuit will last a fortnight, then I will close in, with desire and the blade, you cannot escape your plight."

    Keiko nodded. "Interesting."

    Relena wanted to yell. Scream to her about the stupidity of her calmness. "All you can say is 'Interesting'" she asked in disbelief. "Why are you so composed?"

    "Well, let's think logically here," Keiko replied with deliberate slowness. "This was given to me on the colony. I'm now on Earth. If someone wanted to harm me I don't think they would have an easy time finding me. All things considered."

    "You are a foolish person Keiko," Relena returned. "It will get you into trouble one day- your naivety."

    Keiko watched her stomp out of the house and murmured, "Let's be logical Relena."

    Relena was several blocks again before her anger faded enough for her to remember that she was supposed to converse with Heero. "Damnit," she hissed, pounding the empty seat beside her. It was entirely that girls fault. She fogged up her head worse than a London night. Relena couldn't recall the last time she had been so frustrated. 

    "Whatever," she muttered. "Let it rot, it's dead anyways."

* * *

    "Personally, I don't think that person is a threat to you anymore," Trowa said leaning back in his chair. Their meal was done, but the table remained uncleared and they were just enjoying the simplicity of talking and drinking their champagne.

    "That's what I said. Then I got a mini-lecture," she replied, sipping at her glass.

    Heero smiled and shook his head. "I meant to tell you about her sooner but I kind of forgot. Hope she didn't frighten you too much."

    She waved her hand at him. "Nah. Although I was rather annoyed by the fact that she read that letter without permission, but then I wouldn't have known what it said. . .So I guess it worked out for the best."

    "She gave me the best laugh I've had in a while," Duo remarked, filling his sixth glass of bubbly and suddenly cracking up.

    "I think that's your last one Duo," Quatre muttered pulling the bottle away.

    "Yeah. Keep it. I don't want to get hashed on that."

    "You were going to stay home anyways."

    "Stay home from what?"

    "While we took the letter to the police and went out and got some food."

    "When did we all vote on this?" he cried indignantly.

    "About five minutes before dinner," Wufei replied.

    "Oh," Duo said, eye drooping. "Well, why do you need to go shopping now?"

    Four pairs of eyes slid towards Keiko, who smiled nervously. "It's not my fault if I need chocolate ice cream and Quatre doesn't have any!"

    "Do you _really need the ice cream though?" Wufei asked._

    Her lower lip stuck out in a pout. " 'Fei!"

    "It's alright, we needed to make a quick run anyways," said Quatre.

    "Are you sure it's alright?"

    He smiled. "Positive."

    "We're out of sour apple Schnapps!" Duo cried and let loose a river of expletives. ". . .Gawd, the only thing left that is _remotely_ good is the butterscotch Schnapps. Quatre. . .how could you let this happen?" He continued whining softly to himself as he poured a shot of the amber liquid into his glass.

    "Don't look at me- I don't drink. It's your job to buy more when you're getting low on that stuff."

    "Yeah yeah. . .Shinigami hears your sermon about the evils of drinking. . ." he slurred walking away.

    "I wasn't preaching Duo!"

    "The _evils of _drinking_ Quatre," the braided man repeated, shuffling into the living room and falling into the couch._

    Trowa leaned towards Keiko and whispered, "Just let him watch his shows and he'll be fine."

    "What's he like to watch?"

    "The Food Network."

    "Oye. . ." She sighed, hiccupping softly as she finished off the liquid in her glass, feeling slightly buzzed. 

  * * *

    Her eyes followed the receding vehicle until it disappeared behind the trees, then she sat down on the stone steps and turned her attention to the west. She stayed there, sitting cross-legged with her knees to her chest, watching the evening sky catch on fire and blaze magnificently until the sky turned ashy blue.

    Finally, Keiko returned inside, pondering as to how to pass the time. She sat down next to Duo, who looked like a dead weight just sitting there. Keiko eyed him, debating as to whether or not he still had the sense enough to carry on a conversation.

    "Just out of curiosity, how did you come to know Heero?"

    "We were both Gundam pilots," he said after a short hesitation.

    "Well I know _that but how did you two meet?"_

    Duo smiled. " He was going to shoot Relena for her snooping, I shot him, and Relena got pissed at me. I was just trying to be nice. I should have let him shoot her. . ."

    He rested his face on his fist and sighed, the alcohol working steadily at clouding his mind, staring blankly at the game show on the television.

    "C'mere, I want to show you something. C'mon," Keiko said, swaggering to her feet and tugging his hand. He wearily followed her up the stairs to Heero's room, aware of the fact that she was talking, but not processing it. He made sure to mumble a "Yeah" and an "Uh-huh" every now and then so as not to seem too rude. He really wanted to sleep; his head was starting to hurt from all his drinks. 

    He followed her into Heero's room and collapsed at the foot of the bed, zoning out as she rummaged for something. There was a sound- like she had slammed her finger or something- and he turned groggily as she swore and the finger went into her mouth.

    Duo's eyes were dim in his drunken stupor, but they lit up as his vision wandered from her head to her toes. God in heaven, how he lusted for this woman- even from the first day he had. He knew he was supposedly dating Hilde. . .but he was a lady's-man and a flirt.

    "This is what I wanted to show you," she said, putting a photo from the nightstand into his hands. "It's me and Heero, when we were both fifteen, on my birthday actually. . . Duo?"

    He was staring at her full pink lips, feeling dizzy and sluggish but still good. _One little kiss won't hurt. . . _No one will ever know._ He took the picture gently from her hands and set it on the nightstand, then touched her long golden hair._

    "Duo?"

    He put a hand on her mouth to silence her, and then kissed her. She melted into him, prolonging the kiss that had only meant to be a short union. _She must be as buzzed as I am; there's no way she'd do this of her otherwise._ Duo smiled, his mind and integrity falling farther and farther away. Soon it had totally faded to invisible and all that was left was his Neanderthal desire.

    Neither of them was aware of how much time had passed, only that it seemed like seconds but in reality was much longer. Through the tangle of their twisted bodies, Keiko felt Duo's hand, blazing with heat, touch her stomach and continue upwards. She shoved it away, and instead of trying to crawl up her blouse, the fingers undid the buttons, but did nothing more. Even in his mindlessness Duo was still somewhat respectful. 

    Suddenly. Keiko wrenched back, her large doe eyes full of terror an instant before the tears bubbled up. She flung her face to the side and cried, "Forgive me!" before breaking down.

    Duo frowned. One minute he'd been joyously kissing her, now she had pulled away and had tears streaming down her face. A strangled sob broke from her mouth and her eyes wandered over his shoulder, then down to the ground. "What's wrong love?" he whispered, reaching to stroke her face. She jerked away with a cry and her emerald gaze once again looked at something over his shoulder.

    The hair on the back of his neck tingled and a shiver ran down his spine. He clenched his jaw and slowly turned his head to see what Keiko had been staring at.

    Heero stood in the doorway, fists clenched, and a look of utmost disgust on his face and daggers of steel shooting from his deep blue eyes.

 ~ ~ ~


	13. Part 12

 Well, you could say that other peoples' loss is my gain. Surely some of you have heard of those fires in Southern California? I got a week off school because of them (though knowing the system bastards they'll probably have us make it up in summer. . .) so that's how I actually managed to do this chapter. Pumped it out in a day baby! It must be some kind of record for me….-_-;

Disclaimer: For entertainment only J

Forgotten Love: Part Twelve

~ ~ ~

    She could see her breath in the crisp morning air, all she wore was a tank top and thin cotton pants, but the chill didn't affect her.  The sky was a steel gray color, turning rosy in the east where the sun was struggling to climb the horizon. The road was a secluded one, branching out from the one that lead to Quatre's house, and it was lined with large oaks and overgrown grass on either side. She'd been out here every morning for the past week, just sitting silently and going over what had happened and trying to come to terms with her guilt. She couldn't place the blame entirely on the alcohol because she had still been semi-aware of her surroundings when Duo had kissed her. But as soon as their lips had met, her memory became a black void until those blue eyes had penetrated the darkness.

    _"Oh fuck. . ." Duo murmured. He sat up and looked down at Keiko's open blouse, as if realizing what had actually happened. "Holy Mary, Mother of Jesus. . ." _

_    "Heero, Heero, I'm sorry," Keiko wept, pulling her shirt closed and barely able to talk through her tears. "God, I'm so sorry. . .I'm sorry, I'm sorry. . ." His blue eyes showed the anger that was masked from his other features and he pulled his gaze away from her._

_    "It wasn't her fault!" Duo exclaimed, knowing that it truly was his fault because they were drunk and he had taken advantage of the moment. "It was me! I did it! Hate me- not her!" _

_    Heero looked up at Duo, the disgust still evident on his face. Without another word he turned and fled._

_    "No, wait!" Keiko cried in a croaky voice, struggling to be free. Duo moved and the she shot past him, running after Heero. _

_    She screamed for him, he kept on running, past a bewildered Quatre and Trowa and right out the front door into the night._

_    "Heero!" Keiko yelled, following the sound of his harsh footsteps as they continued on at a relentless pace. She slowed, struggling to catch her breath, but continued out into the trees. Beneath her, her shuddering knees gave and she collapsed. Now everything was quite. The only sound besides her heavy breathing was the crickets chirping, completely ignorant of everything going on around them. Her eyes clouded and she let them spill over again, this time in silence._

    When she'd come back, Heero's door was locked, but Trowa had been waiting for her, his face grave. Wordlessly, he took her hand and led her to a different room, where all her things had been moved, and by the looks of them, in a hurry. 

    Heero hadn't spoken to her since that night. At first, she'd tried to talk to him, to ask for forgiveness, but he had only sneered and turned away. Now he refused to meet her questioning eyes at all. She'd begun to give up, and since she couldn't sleep she would come and sit outside from about 3:30 to 6:30, then creep back into her room and stay in there for the remainder of the day.

    Duo had left. The morning after he'd caught the first shuttle to the colonies to see Hilde, saying he would be back in about two weeks. He'd apologized profusely to her on his way out the door with damp eyes and wished her the best of luck with Heero.

    Keiko brushed her face with her fingertips, clearing away the tears as more replaced the lost ones. She hated crying; it made her feel even worse. Yet here she was, weeping, for the umpteenth time. Digging her fingernails into her temples, she suppressed a scream of despair and gently rocked herself on her toes.

    "Oh, God. . .It wasn't supposed to be this way. . ." she whispered, curling into a ball.

* * * 

    Heero lay in his bed, an arm flung over his face to block the glow from outside. He'd been waking up at the same time Keiko shuffled down the hall and walked outside. His senses were tuned into her soft step, and he couldn't figure out to turn that sense off. 

    It wasn't fair! Why did she have to wake him up every morning- even unintentionally? He knew she went out there to cry her little eyes out, and then shut herself up. If she thought pitying was going to convince him into talking to her, she was deeply misled. He would speak with her when he was ready. After all, he had taken a serious emotional beating too, and he didn't want to risk exploding at her. 

    He sat up, knowing she would be back soon, and looked out the window onto the driveway. There she was- a sorrow filled angle dressed in blue, and right on time according to his clock. His eyes followed her sullen frame as she reached the driveway, and she glanced up suddenly. Her eyes locked into his, though they seemed no more than little green specks from where he was. His hand moved as if it had a will of its own, and waved slightly before he regained control of it. She was smiling sadly, but the smile disappeared when Heero returned his attention back towards her, his eyes glaring. Keiko glanced away and hurried inside.

    Heero sighed and closed his eyes. "I know you're hurting, but so am I."

* * *

    Quatre was waiting for her when she walked in from outside. She glanced at him and brushed her golden hair back behind her ears nervously. "Good morning," Keiko said, putting on a fake smile.

    "You're eyes are puffy," he replied in greeting, moving towards her.

    "Well, you know. . .Yeah."

    Quatre wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a close embrace. " It's not good to drown yourself in sadness Keiko," he stated, drawing away. " Isolating yourself isn't the key either."

    She looked at the floor, then back to him. "I know. I just don't know what I should do."

    "You do know, you're just a bit apprehensive about doing it," he replied. "You've got to try harder."

    "How can I try harder?" she demanded. "I've already tried."

    "What you've done has only been with words, and it was only a few times," Quatre said. "Actions speak louder than words."

    Keiko glanced away again. "You're right," she returned slowly. "I guess I should try to do something other than mopping. . ."

    Quatre nodded, swiveled and returned to reading the newspaper with his cup of coffee.

    "Quatre, can I use your phone?" she called to his retreating form.

    "Of course."

    "Thanks!" She found the phone and quickly punched in a number. An operators' machine voice came on and asked her where she wanted to be directed to. "The L2 Colony please."

    There was a pause, and then the voice returned. "You have been connected, please dial the number of the person you wish to contact." Keiko dialed another number, and on the third ring, there was an answer.

    "Duo," Keiko said bluntly.

    "Hello?"

    "It's me."

    "Oh, hey. How are you doing?"

    "Okay I guess. How are you and Hilde? Oh I didn't wake you did I?"

    "Nah, different time up here. Hilde and I, we've worked things out. She was a little upset at first, but once I told her the full story and all she was pretty cool about it."

    "I'm glad to hear that," Keiko smiled. 

    "Has. . .Have you and Heero made up yet?" he asked hesitantly.

    "No. He won't talk to me."

    "Oh, I'm sorry. . ."

    "It'll pass. Hopefully."

    "Yeah, I hope so too. Ah!" It sounded like someone has smacked Duo's head, or pulled on his braid, because he let out a yelp and there was suddenly another voice in the background. Duo was laughing as he spoke into the phone again. "Hey, I gotta go Keiko, the Kaiser's up and is harassing me."

    Keiko grinned at the sound of their good-natured squabbling. "See you soon Duo."

    "See ya!"

    "Damn," she murmured the moment she had hung up. She'd totally forgotten that the purpose of her call was to get advice. Oh well, if she had to, she could call back later. She got up and meandered her way back into the kitchen.

    Shortly after, someone thumped down the stairs and hurried into the kitchen.

    "Morning Heero," Quatre said pleasantly while not looking away from his paper.

    "Morning." 

    Keiko turned to greet him but he just walked right past here, pulling on a blue button up shirt over his black tank top. 

    "Hi Heero," she said, smiling.

    He didn't reply, instead he shoved a piece of bread in the toaster and began fidgeting around the countertop, waiting for it to be done. "Hey Quatre, I'm going to be gone for the day, and I think I'll be getting back fairly late, so don't be surprised or anything if you hear me coming in past midnight."

    "Alright," he replied. 

    Without another word he readied his toast and was walking for the door. 

    "See you Heero," Keiko called brightly. She was going to try her damnedest to get him to talk to her, even if it was like she was talking to a wall. Of course, there was no indication that he even heard her, but Keiko noticed that his eyes flicked towards her for an instant.

    That was a start at least.

* * *

    Keiko sat curled up on her stool next to the island in the kitchen, watching the evening news. Trowa sat beside her, silently taking in the images in front of him.

    "They need to catch that guy. . ." he said softly. "He has to slip up some time."

    "He seems to be pretty good at what he does," she returned grimly, tearing her eyes away from the victim's smiling face plastered on the television. "In a way, I guess it's a good thing that I left when I did. Some of those things were happening to close to home. Still, I miss my old house, and my mom."

    "Your mother doesn't live close to that area does she?" Quatre asked from her other side.

    Keiko shook her head. "No. She lives about forty minutes away from my house- well out of the dangerous area."

    "That's good."

    ". . .selling author, Keiko Yamikachi, has apparently left her home colony of L1 and has now taken up residence on Earth-"

    Keiko's face twisted into a look of annoyance as she glared at the reporter, with a picture of herself just above his left shoulder. "Damn it. . .They just don't let anything rest. . .That's one of the bad things about fame, your private life gets invaded."

    "At least they don't know where you are," Trowa remarked.

    "You have a point."

    "Speaking of unknown locations, I haven't seen Heero all day," Wufei remarked suddenly. He threw a look at Keiko. "Did you two switch roles for a day?"

    "Shut up Wufei," Keiko hissed, chucking a pillow at him.

   "Jeez, calm down. Sorry, I was just trying to-"

   "Lighten the situation with your poor taste of humor. Yeah, I get it."

    "I don't have a clue as to where he went. You know him," Quatre explained. "He likes to do his own things."

    The door slammed shut and Heero appeared in the doorway, ruffling his hair. 

    "Speak of the devil. You're home earlier than I expected. What were you up to?" Trowa asked softly.

    "I was over at Relena's."

    "What?" Keiko gasped glancing from Trowa to Heero then back to Trowa. "Why. . . ?" 

    Heero moved away. "It's none of your damn business."

    "I think it is. I know that's not true, you told me yourself that that woman annoys you to no end, so why would you lie to me and say that is where you were all day?"

    No answer.

    "You. . .You're only saying that to hurt me, because you knew it would. . .I don't believe you."

    Heero turned and walked into the living room, where music was softly coming from the guys' CD player.

    Keiko slowly followed him, though he turned his face away from her. Trowa, Quatre and Wufei retreated upstairs, feeling that the two needed their privacy. 

    "Heero, please! Why won't you look at me?" she asked, wanting to touch him, but hesitating. "You won't even speak to me! Is this how it's going to end? After all these years? Look at me damnit!"

    "I don't think I can," he replied gently, surprising Keiko. She hadn't expected a reply, especially a soft spoken one. "My faith is gone. My heart's gone cold and I'm shamed. People do that to each other, you know, when you love someone so much it hurts to look at them. If I look at you, I think my heart will die." He turned his head slightly around so he could see her out of the corner of his eye. "But you're worth it."

    He saw her eyes fill to the brim with tears but they didn't spill over. "Forgive me. . ." she whispered. "I know that what I've done has hurt you, but it was an accident, I swear."

    Heero turned to face her directly and felt his lips turn up into a small, sad smile. "Trust isn't easy for me to come by. What you and I had- it was built up over time. It was broken that night though, and I don't know how long it will take for me to be able to trust you again-"

    "You have no faith in me," she interrupted, sounding aghast.

    "You could put it that way."

    "Then it's meaningless!" Keiko yelled, getting to her feet. "If you have no faith then it's just pointless to continue! That's what a relationship is about- _trusting the other person!"_

    "And all it takes is one incident to shatter that trust! This occurred that night!"

    "Well what the hell do you want me to do then? Get down on my knees and beg for your forgiveness? Is that what you want?"

    "What I want is to open my eyes and discover that none of this ever happened!" he shouted, noticing how loud they were getting. Whatever, he didn't care if the others overhead right now.

    "Sorry to burst your bubble, but this is reality and it's rather difficult to do time travel," Keiko snapped. " Wake up, Heero! We _can't_ go back, we can only hold our heads high and carry on! I thought we realized that five years ago! If want to let go of everything we have because of. . ." Her voice faltered and Heero looked up to see her tears finally descend. His throat knotted at the image but he refused to show it. "If we let go. . . I don't know what I'll do. I won't go back to my mother though," she added, a determined light filling her face as her lips pursed to a thin line. "I won't give you that satisfaction."

    It felt like someone had punched him in the stomach, _hard_. Heero's mouth opened slightly in surprise. "Do you really think I want you to see you go back to Lelita-san?"

    Keiko dropped to the couch and covered her weeping face with her hands. "I don't know," she said softly as Heero sat down beside her. "I don't know what to think right now." She lowered her hand from her swollen eyes and gazed at Heero. Her bottom lip trembled as she looked over him and more tears fell when she whispered, " Hold me, please."

    He gathered her small frame close to him, holding her as if she were an object that would break with just the slightest firm touch. Now that their shouting had died down, Quatre's music was able to be heard again. Heero half listened to it, placing more attention on comforting Keiko, until another song began. Something in the chords was haunting and it sent a shiver down his spine. He felt Keiko stiffen, she had felt the same thing too. They sat there, listening to the slow, eerie song.

    _I'm in love with you_

_    And it's crushing my heart_

_    All I want is you_

_    To take me into your arms_

_    When love and death embrace_

_    I love you_

_    And you're crushing me heart_

_    I need you_

_    Please take me into your arms_

_    When love and death embrace_

_    When love and death embrace_

_    When love and death embrace_

_    When love and death embrace_

    Keiko pulled back and gazed meaningfully at Heero. "Do you think we could. . .Try?"

    He glanced away, trying to work it out in his head. His silence was slowly chipping away her hope, and when he looked back at her, the world stopped. 

~ ~ ~

    Fin! Ah, temporary ranting time: I had some issues writing this chapter (notice late update again…) because of Heero. I tried to make it come across that he still loved Keiko dearly, but was deeply hurt by her "betrayal" and- seeing as it was done by the one person he had given his all to- didn't really know how to cope with it. I hope that was somewhat visible……

     And I do think that this story will probably be over within three or four more chapters. I have two endings and I'm not sure which to use. . .One's a nice ending but the other one is sad. I suppose I could put both of them up here. . .*shrug* I don't know. I'll figure that out when the time comes.


	14. Part 13

Oopsies, forgot something. *ahem* I claim no ownership to the lyrics of "When Love and Death Embrace" by HIM. Ville can keep his lyrics . . .in return for giving himself over to me. . . Muahahahaha!

No, I kid. It all belongs to him. . . er. . . Ville. . .whatever. Now, on with the chapter

Forgotten Lover: Part 13

~ ~ ~

_    "I don't see why you would come to me. Surely the others would have given you some credible advice."_

_    Heero hugged his knees to his chest. "You're the only other woman I know whose thinking process I understand. It just seemed natural for me to come to you. You're both women. . ."_

_    Relena sat down across from him, silently, holding a cup of steaming liquid and not replying._

_    Heero pulled his knees closer, trying to get comfortable on the small chair in his awkward position. "I just don't understand how it could happen."_

_    "Based on what you told me, it's not too complex. She and Duo made poor choices. At least you walked in when you did."_

_    "I didn't want to see it!" he snarled. "That's why it hurt so much."_

_    "Look at it this way: if you hadn't walked in, how much farther would it have gone, based on their conditions?" Relena replied calmly, sipping her drink._

_    He'd never thought of it that way before. She was right, as she usually was, but it didn't help him._

_    "You're really hung up on this, aren't you?" she asked softly, noticing the way his scowl deepened while he was thinking. A sharp glance clarified her thoughts. "You make your point well, you know?"_

_    "Yeah," he murmured._

_    Something in the way Heero said it threatened to melt her heart as though it were made of chocolate. For a moment, the normally stoic man sitting near here morphed into a young, guilt-less child. He turned, and glanced at her, with alien eyes. They had undergone some prominent change. Before, they had merely reflected emotion, but now, they had the youthful look of a young boy had not closed away his feelings. As quickly as it had come, the image disappeared, and the aged Heero whom she knew was before her again._

_    But his eyes were similar to those of his in child form; there was some scarce bit of warmth radiating from their depths, hardly noticeable unless one looked closely, but it was there. _

_    "This pain. . ." Relena whispered. "This pain that's she's causing you, it's helping you in a way I never could. You're. . . changed. Far different from the Heero I thought I knew."_

_    He frowned. "What do you mean?"_

_    She shrugged, helplessly, at a loss for the right words to describe it. "I don't know, but I'll try to explain it. The other day, when I saw you, you were happy. You didn't look it, because, well, you know, you don't express how you feel the way most people do, but I could _feel _it. The happiness emanating from you." She stood and knelt down next to him. "I knew that she was making you happy, and I was so jealous, because I realized that I could never do that for you."_

_    "You're rambling. There's no happiness within me, there was once, but it's gone. I hate her for taking it away," Heero replied._

_    Relena shook her head. "No. You're sorrow has merely pushed it aside, but it's still there."_

_    "Will you stop babbling and tell me what you're trying to get at?"_

_    Relena pushed herself up, and with her hands, grabbed Heero by the lapels and pulled his mouth to hers._

_    Sputtering, Heero jerked away and toppled off the chair. Before he could regain his breath, she was on top of his and kissing him again. "What are you doing?" he demanded, when she let up her assault. He tried to shove her off of him, but she remained stubbornly where she was._

_    "You said you hated her, why do you care?" Relena replied, silencing his rebuke with another kiss. _

_    "Get off!" he hissed._

_    "Why?"_

_    "Because it's not right!"_

_    She smirked. "What do you mean?"_

_    "I don't love you!" _

_    "Ah. What if I make you love me?" she asked._

_    "You wouldn't be able to!"_

_    "Why not? Because you love Keiko?"_

_    "Yes!" Heero cried, and then looked surprised at his own unhesitant words._

_    Relena smiled, half in sadness, half in triumph, rolled off him and then got to her feet. "I don't want to hear another complaint from you. So far, I've only heard about your feelings. Why don't you put yourself in Keiko's place for a moment?_

_    "Now," she continued, with a pause too short for him to speak. "I have a meeting in an hour that I must attend. You're welcome to stay here and sleep, since that's another thing I recall you whining about. You know where the guest bedrooms are."_ _And with a curt about-face, she exited the room, trying to banish the image of the shocked Heero from her mind. _

_    Relena shook her head, blinking away tears her eyes were giving birth to. She already hated what she had done; she loved Heero. But it seemed to be the only way to get the point across succinctly. _

_    Well, she could always pretend that he had returned her kiss; it would probably make her feel even worse though. That was the first time she had ever kissed him, and it had been in effort to make him proclaim and realize his love for that girl. "Too bad it was the first and last. . ." she murmured. Still, his quickly said words had given her hope. _

_    And as she closed the door to her immense room, relief washed over Relena. She didn't like Keiko, but she didn't hate her either. And it was obvious that Heero was happy while with her. Relena made up her mind to help the two out if she could in any way._

_    Heero picked himself up from the floor slowly, running the back of his hand across his moist lips. He took a deep breath in effort to calm the passion that had been unwillingly transferred to him while lying on the carpet. He glanced at the face of the large grandfather clock that called this room- one of many- home. It was nearly eleven; he'd been away for several hours already. Mainly he had come here to escape all the thoughts plaguing him, and to catch up on sleep._

_    He exited the room and climbed up the stairwell to the guest wing of Relena's immense mansion. Strangely, although he had only slept over at her house once or twice after getting seriously smashed at several dull a New Year's Eve parties, he had taken a liking to one of the rooms. It contrasted; the cherry wood was stained to a deep scarlet, while the carpet was a soft cream color, and the bed was draped in a jade colored quilt. The thick drapes that were able to mask the light from the French windows we the same color as the bedcovers._

_    Feeling suddenly exhausted, Heero pulled off his shoes and cobalt over shirt and collapsed on the bed so that he was lying on his stomach perpendicular with it. He thought briefly about moving, so his feet weren't hanging off the edge, but dismissed the notion. Heero's eyes closed and he sighed deeply, totally relaxed in his position._

_    Someone shook his shoulder forcefully and he groaned, turning his head away from who disturbed him. It wasn't as if her were clueless. "What do you want Relena?" he muttered, burying his face in his arms._

_    "To tell you something."_

_    "Well no shit Sherlock, why else would you have woken me up?"_

_    "For giggles?"_

_    Heero growled and rolled over. "I'm awake. I've had. . . Four hours of sleep, now talk so I can resume it."_

_    "I have an idea," she stated. "That might help bring you and Keiko closer together."_

_    "What's this?" he asked warily. _

_    Relena held up a dog-eared paperback book. "Let me read you this passage first," she replied, flipping to a page near the end of the book. _

_    " ' There was a deafening roar overhead; it seemed to send waves of tremors racing down the spines of the trees surrounding the meadow where she stood. Something large- gargantuan- flew overhead. Aya embraced the ground, terrified and enraged at the same time. This was her place. This was where Kiore had asked her, a year ago; this was where she had gotten the telegram of his death, ten months ago, and this was where Joji had also proposed to her. The earth shuddered and the gritty taste of dust filled her mouth. Aya buried her face in her arms, hoping no harm would come to her. Then, the violent wind began to die, and the noise began to die down until all that was left was a soft, vaguely soothing, humming sound._

_    " 'She got to her feet unsteadily, brushing bits of leaves and dirt off her clothes. She didn't even want to think about how much debris had gotten tangled in her hair. It wasn't like it mattered. Not much mattered now. No matter, Aya was still angry for her place being invaded, and she screamed into the dust:_

_    " ' "What the hell is wrong with you, you crazy fuck? Couldn't you see me standing here? Were you trying to kill me? What the hell!"'_

_    " 'There was a whoosh, as of a mechanical door opening, and then a louder whirring. The dust was still thick, although it was beginning to settle so objects weren't quite so shapeless. She heard a thud, and then heavy footsteps coming towards her._

_    " 'Aya was too shocked to move. She hadn't expected anyone to come out of the craft. Perhaps they had heard somehow? Reality had yet to be absorbed, but it was sinking in slowly. The possibility that this  person was some enemy of the republic was growing larger in her nervous brain. Her legs wouldn't have moved even if she tried. She didn't see the point in running; if someone was out to kill, they would find her just as easily here as they would if she were in her house._

_    " 'The large object in front of her sharpened, and gave off a metallic glimmer. Her heart wrenched when she recognized that it was the same model mobile suit that Kiore and Joji had both operated when they had taken their training exams. Oh how long ago that seemed. _

_    " 'Then, suddenly, the walking figure came into focus, and Aya's knees buckled beneath her. She couldn't believe what stood before her eyes. A tale, stoic man, dressed in the colors of the republic, had been walking towards her slowly and now stopped. A bloodied handkerchief, so soiled it was impossible to tell what its original color had been, was tied loosely around his neck, and his shaggy black hair hung in his eyes. They were not stranger's eyes, but ones Aya knew, and had once loved. _

_    " 'The trauma was too much. Her eyes had barely begun their weeping when her system realized it had overloaded- what with her first loss, Joji's unrequited love, his death, and her failed suicide attempt earlier that day. Her mind faded and then turned black as she slipped out of consciousness. Her last thought was a happy one, for the man she saw would be by her side when she woke, because he  was Kiore,'" Relena finished with a flourish._

_    "And that was. . .?" Heero prompted after a pause._

_    "The last chapter of Keiko's book."_

_     He shook his head, flabbergasted. "I'm still not making the connection."_

_    "You have no imagination!" Relena exclaimed, setting the book down. "Listen. You remember when Zero fell apart after you destroyed the barrier for the Brussel's Presidential Residence?"_

_    "Yeah," he muttered, and then added, "Hurt like hell- all the wires shorting out and pieces flying everywhere." _

_    "Yes, well, my idea is this: Why don't you," she paused for effect and Heero merely motioned for her to continue. "Show her what's left of it? You hid it didn't you? In the mountains?"_

_    Heero looked at her like she was insane. "Why the _hell_ would I drag her all the way up there just to see some scraps?"_

_    "Because," Relena insisted. "That's what tore you apart in the first place! Show her that it's destroyed and she'll never be afraid that you'll leaver her again!"_

_    "Why are we talking about her when I'm still upset?"_

_    "Because you're being whiney and immature about it! Now shut up and take my idea into consideration!" she snapped, huffed indignantly and stormed out the door._

_    Heero stared at Relena as she left. Once again, she had greatly surprised him today. _Well, best not to dwell on it_, he thought. Lest she come back and do something else at the expense of my sleep. _

* * *

    A voice, soft and timid, snapped him out of his reverie.

     "Do you think. . . .We could give it another try?"

    Heero looked up at Keiko and smiled faintly. "I don't think I could live for long without forgiving you, but I don't know if I would be able to do it again. Not if it's like how it was before."

    "Oh, no! Of course not!" Keiko returned, tightening her trembling grip around his hands. "No, I won't-nothing like _that_ will ever happen again." 

    "I don't mean it like that."

    She frowned. "I won't ever disappear for six years if that's what you're saying."

    "No, not that either."

    "Then what?"

    His smile broadened. "Our love wasn't strong enough the first time. That's why we were lost for so long. Nor was it the second time, which is why this affected us so much. This time, I want it to be better."

    Keiko looked away, thinking, her golden hair spinning with her. Then she turned back to him. "Such a suave way of asking me, Heero-"

    "Oh, but I didn't mea-"

    "-But I guess I'm ready for it."

    Heero's sapphire eyes widened. "What. . .?" he gasped.

    Her gazed narrowed at him. "It's what you want, isn't it? It's what everyone wants," she added. "I might as well do it with someone who loves me and of my own will rather than being forced into it. Well, c'mon, let's get on with it. Boy, what a make-up present this will be."

    "Now?" Heero squeaked.

    Keiko smiled at his nervousness. "Whatever's convenient for you. Call me," she replied, kissed his face softly while running her fingers through his hair.

    "I will," he said gently. "Once I get the nerve."

    Keiko smiled and then yawned, leaning into Heero's warm arms. "Go to bed missy. You've been up early for too long."

    "I don't want to. I'd rather stay here."

    "I know, but you need to." He carefully pried Keiko off him and held her at arms length.

    "Don't send me away again," she whispered.

    Heero smiled and embraced her tightly, breathing in her scent. "I'm not leaving you. But go to bed."

    She nodded and strutted from the room, her hips swaying sensually. In the doorway, Keiko turned and cast him a playful glance, then disappeared. Her sudden flirtatious mood made his head spin. That was one thing that had always eluded his comprehension- her ability to change moods so quickly. Heero sighed and shook his head, wondering how he would ever understand women.  

    Then again, it had always been one of her most prominent attractive features. . .

    Keiko leaned out her window, letting the warm night breeze billow in and ruffle her waist length hair. Her spirits were already rising.

    Heero had spoken to her!

    And he'd forgiven her!

    And she knew that he wouldn't try and touch her unless he was given permission. It wasn't that he was her little lap dog; Heero was just respectful like that. There had been no seriousness in the last moments of their conversation; it had merely been a way to end the discussion, since it was well needed to do so.

    She sat on the little seat beside the open window, resting her head on her propped up elbows. She wasn't sure how long she had been sitting there when a shiver raced down her spine. Her eyes darted upward and out into the darkness, but there was nothing she could detect by sight. There was a feeling though, of unsettlement. It took her a moment to place another think on the tally of 'What is Wrong?' list : there were no sounds. Nothing, not even a cricket chirping or leaves rustling in the wind. It was as if the earth sensed something was out of place and was trying to hide from it.

    Slowly, Keiko straightened, leaning farther out the window and peering from side to side. 

    Still nothing. But it was there. She _knew _it was.

    A quick movement caught her eye and she froze, gaping after it as it ran. Then it stopped, and Keiko chided herself for becoming paranoid over a cat. She pulled herself back in and relaxed. 

    Someone laughed. A deep, throaty, chuckle and Keiko's eyes widened when she realized she had been staring unconsciously at the person, who was right outside her window, wearing a long knee length coat. 

    He- she?- was looking right at her, and there was some way that she knew this person was grinning, even though their face was masked by the darkness.

    Keiko gasped and jumped back, slamming the window shut. The panes rattled and she was quite surprised the glass hadn't shattered. Taking a deep breath, she glanced outside again. There was nothing there.

     ~ ~ ~

    Yes, sorry if I annoyed anyone in making the majority of this chapter flashback. . .but it serves its purpose. Everything has a purpose. Anyways, I hope everyone is doing well and that you enjoyed this chapter.


	15. Part 14

_    Keiko gasped and jumped back, slamming the window shut. The panes rattled and she was quite surprised the glass hadn't shattered. Taking a deep breath, she glanced outside again. There was nothing there__._

- - -

    While silently trying to calm her pounding heart, she stepped down from the window seat. She hadn't been hallucinating. . . or had she? That wasn't the first time she'd felt that peculiar sensation of being watched. All those mornings out by the trees, the feeling had been there too.

    _I must be going insane_, she thought. _No one could possible get onto the grounds without anyone knowing. Besides, doesn't Quatre have a few security cameras installed? Well, his house is actually safe, so no worries. It was probably just some homeless person._

    Nonetheless, she wasn't truly as reassured as she believed she was. Crawling into bed, she didn't notice the tightness of the muscles in her shoulders or thighs; however, she drifted into sleep easily.

-------

    Heero gazed up at the ceiling, going over the day. So he and Keiko had made up . . . But he still felt as if a ribbon of tension were wrapped about his heart, restricting his emotions. He hoped it would disappear in a few days time; however, he didn't want to take the chance that it wouldn't.

    "I'll take her into the mountains then," he murmured to himself and sat up. It wasn't that late, yet he was already tired even after his nap that afternoon. The day had nevertheless been emotionally draining. He struggled to his feet and kicked off his shoes by the couch since it irked Quatre whenever he saw them laying there.

    He stole quietly up the stairs after turning off the lights and was softly gliding towards his room. As he passed Keiko's room he heard murmuring. Heero halted and strained his hearing; had she heard him come up and was speaking to him?

    No, it didn't sound so. Her voice echoed distress so he pushed her door open a bit wider, poked his head in and whispered her name. Her silhouetted outline on the bed gave no reply but a whimper and she tossed herself over onto her side frantically.

    "Keiko," Heero said, moving to her side. She shifted restlessly, her face contorting in confusion or fear, so he reached out and gently brushed back a lock of her golden hair.

"Wake up Keiko, it's only a dream. Come back."  

    She sighed and opened her heavy eyes when he gave her shoulder a little shake. Those green eyes stared back with a thoroughly dazed expression.

    Heero smiled. "What were you dreaming about?"

    She glanced away and blinked several times before replying softly, "Bad times. I'd rather not speak of them."

    Heero reached for her hand and entwined his fingers with his. "Are you sure?" he asked and made no expression when she nodded silently. "Alright. I just wanted to make sure." He stood up to leave but Keiko held onto him.

    "No," she whispered hurriedly, her eyes brimming with tears. "Please don't leave. I'm scared."

    His expression softened and he once more knelt down next to her. "Tell me," he said simply, touching her cheek.

    "I thought-It's stupid-But I thought I saw someone standing outside my window before I went to sleep. The person laughed, if someone was even there, and it frightened me. But I don't want to be alone." 

    "You're not. The guys are here and I'm just down the hall. Nothing can get you here anyways."

    "Please. . . Stay with me, just until I fall asleep," she pleaded giving his hand a small tug towards her.

    Heero knew he'd melted right then. However, he wasn't sure if this was a ploy to get him to couple with her or not. He wouldn't want to engage in the act anyway, not with her in this emotional state. He didn't want her to have any regrets in the morning. Besides, the time wasn't right, he could feel it in his gut.

    "Heero?" Keiko whispered, jarring him from his thoughts.

    "Ah? Oh, sure. I'll keep you safe," he returned, smiling slightly, pulling off his blue over-shirt and crawling into the bed next to her.

    "Thank you," she said as Heero's arms encircled her waist from behind and he pulled himself closer to her.

    "You're welcome," came the low reply right next to her ear.

    His voice gave her chills- good chills.

-------

    Heero's lips tickled and he was groggily aware of the soft fingertip gently tracing their outline. It was a pleasurable sensation and he was sure if he opened his eyes then Keiko would stop out of embarrassment, so he made no movement whatsoever.

    ". . . beautiful, even while you're sleeping," she was saying. "No wonder she liked you. . ."

    "Isn't it usually the other way around?" Heero asked, startling Keiko as he spoke and opened his eyes. "The girl being the beautiful one, that is?"

    She jerked her hand away and caught her breath. "I didn't know you were awake."

    "Your fingers tickled."

    "Oh. . . Sorry I woke you. I just wasn't expecting you to be in here in the morning."

    "Neither was I," he said, catching her hand. "And by 'her' I suspect you meant Relena, right?"

    Keiko nodded and said nothing for a moment, and then she hesitantly asked, "What, um, did you go over there for?" She sucked in her breath and waited for the backlash, but it didn't come.

    "For advice," Heero replied. "She may act completely awful when she doesn't get her way, but if you talk to her one on one, she proves that she has a decent mind."

    "I would hope so. . ."

    Heero leaned forward unexpectedly and kissed Keiko's cheek. "I want to take you somewhere this weekend," he said softly. "I want to show you something."

    "Where? What?"

    "The remains of my gundam," Heero answered, and smiled at the surprised look on her face. "I read the last bit of your book, about how the soldier returned home when everyone thought he was dead. Well, in case you have any doubts as to if I might ever go away again. . .I know that you're harboring that fear within you. My gundam is totally destroyed; it fell apart during the coup that Mariemaya instigated. There's no possible way that I could even fight again if there was another war. So what do you think? Want to come away with me?"

    Keiko beamed and buried her face in his chest. "Of course I'll want to go with you silly. Why wouldn't I? How long will we be gone?"

    "We'll leave Friday-tomorrow- afternoon and get back on Sunday I guess, since I do actually have to work."

    "That gives me today to pack so I guess that's alright. Wait, I didn't know you worked- where? Doing what?"

    Heero laughed, "Did you just assume that I stayed here and lounged around all day?"

    Keiko's face flushed. "Nooooo. I assumed you worked, I just didn't know what you did."

    "Quatre employed me a few years ago. Technically, he's my boss, but he has so many other employees that I could just do nothing all day and still get paid."

    "Lucky you," she muttered, snuggling against him. 

    Heero just held the petite woman in his arms for a moment, and then a thought struck him. "Hey, you made it through the night. No scary Boogeyman came after you."

    She drew away. "That's not funny," she said. "I'm really starting to believe that I saw something."

    He shook his head. " I think someone else would have seen this person, if they ran by. Myself for one; I was downstairs next to that huge window, and your room is nearly directly above the living room . . ."

    "Does Quatre have a security camera? That would settle it, either way."

    "I'm not trying to make a confrontation about this," Heero noted. " But I think he may have one. However, I think it observes the front gates, not the outside of the house. We can look though."

    "'Kay," Keiko said quietly.

    Heero then sat up, stretched and moved off the bed, leaving Keiko buried in the sheets. " I'll be downstairs looking for those tapes," he stated, picking his discarded shirt up off the floor. He turned back to her and put a hand through his hair, looking like he didn't quite know what to say next. " Do you want me to make you some breakfast or something. . .?"

    Keiko rose up from the bed, still hugging the covers to her chest though. "You can cook?"

    "Well, yeah." Heero glanced away, seeming to be slightly embarrassed, if the light rosy tint beneath his eyes was any indication. "It's not something I boast about. But when you're on your own and don't know when your next meal's gunna be. . . It's just easier to have someone else do it. So, um, do you want anything?"

    "Sure," she replied, smiling. "What can you make?"

    Heero shrugged. "What do you want?"

    "Surprise me."

-------

    "What's this?" Trowa asked when he walked into the sunlit dining room later that morning. Surrounding  the couple were several empty, sticky dishes; the aroma of maple syrup clung heavily in the air.

    "It was breakfast-French Toast," Heero said, turning to his friend with a smile.

    "You're a bit too late though. Sorry dear," Keiko added, simultaneously giving him a small wave and a grin.

    "Well damn," he muttered, his eyes shinning with the knowledge that the two had apparently made up. The man glanced around then brought his attention back to the people sitting before him. "Which of the cooks made it? I'll have to go and ask him to make a plate for me and Quatre."

    Keiko caught Heero's eyes and they shared a hidden laugh. Heero got to his feet, swung around to Trowa and motioned for him to sit in his place.

    "Go ahead, it won't take me long to make some more."

    Trowa hid the surprise from his face quite well, but his eyes still widened. However, he said not one word in disbelief; he just smiled and nodded his thanks.

    "I see what you mean," Keiko called to his retreating form. "I feel special now, since I was the first to know you're little secret." She heard him laugh before the door to the kitchen closed.

    "So I guess then I should almost feel special for being the second to know?" Trowa asked.

    "Almost, but not quite," she returned.

    "Things are worked out then?" he asked after a moment's pause.

    "I'm thinking that things will be running a bit more smoothly now. Not completely problem free, but a major step forward nonetheless."

    "That's good."

    "Yeah, it is," she replied absently, looking forward with glassy eyes.

    Trowa leaned over in front of her and asked, "Something else on your mind?"

    She smiled. "I just realized that I'm paranoid, that's all."

    "What do you mean?"

    Keiko sighed, tired of explaining it already, especially since Heero had shown her the only surveillance tape he could find of the house and there had been nothing on it to prove her experience true. "Talk to Heero about it," she said.

    "I want to talk to you."

    "There was something that tricked my eyes last night which made me believe I'd seen a non-existent person," Keiko stated. "And I stupidly got scared about it and made Heero sleep with me. I felt like a child. I don't know what to think about it; maybe it will be funny when I look back on it in a few years, but right now I'm so confused.

    "Don't mention it to anyone else though, alright?" she added. "Particularly Wufei, I'd never hear the end of it if he heard."

    "Mum's the word Keiko," he said, just as Heero appeared from the kitchen with two more laden plates.

-------

    They arrived at the lodge late in the evening that weekend. Traffic had been terrible- even for a Friday afternoon- as everyone was trying to escape the city and venture forth into the country. Keiko had fallen asleep on the ride their and she looked so lovely in her slumber that Heero didn't dare wake her up when he went into the lobby to check in. However, when he'd come back out to the car with the room key, he found that she was awake, though slightly groggy. The cool night air woke her up a little as they walked back in and took the lift up to the third floor. By the time they outside their room, Keiko was fully awake.

    Heero opened the door and followed Keiko inside, carrying their two duffel bags.

    "It's cute!" she exclaimed when she'd turned on the lights.

    Cute wouldn't have been Heero's word of choice, but he said nothing while he set the bags down. It was just the average, cheap hotel room. But the bed did look comfortable and it was stain free- which was saying something for a place this far out of the way.

    So he'd settle for mediocre. It was certainly not a Hilton, but it wasn't a Motel 6 either.

    Keiko was bustling around the room, flipping switches, exploring the bathroom and trying to turn on the television.

    "You're like a little child you know?" Heero stated, putting things back into order as she went along.

    "Yeah. I can't help it though." He just laughed at her, since she didn't even look up from whatever it was she was messing with.

    "Hey," Keiko said. "This is me. I like me."

    "I know. I like you too," Heero said, opening his arms in invitation.

    She stepped into him and laid her head gently on his shoulder. "I love you," she murmured.

    Heero felt every last molecule of air get sucked out of his lungs. Those three little words. . . They were so easy to say for most people, and even Keiko had said them before. But never had she spoken them with such simple, unselfish clarity. He vaguely remembered to breathe in.

    His eyes were stinging, how curious, and he felt something slide down his skin.

    _Reply you idiot_ he thought _Or else she'll think you're in a coma or something_

    "I. . .I love you too," he said in a soft croak.

    Keiko drew away from him and looked up into his face inquisitively. "You're weeping," she stated, then smiled. "I've never seen you cry before."

    "I can't even recall the last time I cried," Heero responded as Keiko leaned up on her tip-toes and gently kissed away the two tears he had shed.

    "Recall now," Keiko said, moving to his lips and planting a light kiss there too.

    Heero smiled and in an instant picked her up off her feet and swung her around in his arms. She squealed as he did so and laughed as he nuzzled her neck while moving to the bed of their rented room. He carefully sat down on its edge and laid Keiko's frame next to his own.

    Silence enveloped them while Heero took Keiko's hand and stared down into her emerald eyes. She sighed contentedly and gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. Heero smiled and kissed her softly. He saw her visibly relax beneath him and he kissed her again, with more fervor. The next thing he knew, he lay over her, drowning in passion.

- - -  

   A/N: A **BIG** _thank you_ to all who have reviewed thus far and also to you readers who have been so patient with me! I appreciate it so much! I'm very sorry for throwing the updating schedule off its rocker and for making you all probably thinking that I was dead or something. . .I'm hoping to be able to update more this more frequently in the coming months. For some reason the plot just completely escaped me when I finished the previous chapter, but I think I found it again. Only a few more chapters left anyways.

    Once again a big Thank You with a cookie! Vela-chan

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